Would You Die For Her?
by Ayame2004
Summary: Mulder recieves a mysterious package asking a disturbing question about his relationship with Scully
1. Chapter 1

OK, I know I said I was going to work on Voices of Interest, but I just got this idea while sitting at my desk at work and I had to jump on it. I just want to know what everyone thinks of this story and if you think I should continue. PLEASE let me know what you think.

XxXxXxXxXxX

He sat in his dark, cool apartment watching the clock slowly tick by. It now read 2:17 am and he still did not feel like sleep could take him over. His mind reflected back to the case they had just completed. Of course, his theories were completely off base and of course she was right on target. Like she always was. They had investigated a mysterious death involving a couple that lived in Salem. Turns out their deaths were not supernatural and, even though black dust, pentagrams, and voodoo dolls were found, homicide by poisoning was natural enough for the local PD to convict their suspect.

He sighed heavily and closed his eyes for the tenth time that night when he heard footsteps outside his door. They stopped and slid an envelope between the base of the door and the hardwood floor and quickly walked away. He jumped up and opened the door, of course, seeing no one retreating away. "Great another informant" He muttered to himself as he picked up the package and flipped on the lamp next to his couch.

He stared at the object for a long moment, contemplating if he was even going to bother with it at this late hour. He was sure that whatever it was could wait. However, something inside him pressed him to open it. Giving in, he pulled the paper from the manila envelope and read the words closely.

"Mr. Mulder,

I know how important your work is for you. Your quest to find the truth becomes harder and harder for you as you get closer to it. I also see how important your partner is to your investigation. Dana Scully, what a enigmatic women. She really does revile in the competition, always striving to be right and debunk your theories. This is what makes you strive to work harder. As you can imagine I have been watching you for some time and I have seen your partnership grow to something beyond a professional relationship. I know you have never openly admitted it to each other but I know that you both care for each other on an intimate level. That is why I am bringing this to you tonight. I want to know, Mr. Mulder, would you die for her?"

The last words shot pain through his chest. It was something he knew since her abduction, that he would indeed sacrifice his life if it meant that she would live but why bring this to him this way? He read the note again, the writer mentioning that they had been watched for some time now, their cases observed by someone other than their usual enemies. He examined the package again and realized there was another item hidden inside. Pulling it out he studied the glossy print. It was a picture of them together. He was guiding her somewhere, his hand protectively covering the small of her back.

There was writing on the edge of the print.

"You'll have your chance soon, Mr. Mulder."

XxXxXxXxXxX

I know it was short but everyone that is familiar with my writing knows I love to leave things hanging. Do you like the idea? Should I continue into the dark depths of the psycho's mind? Let me know!


	2. Chapter 2

First I want to thank everyone for the amazing feedback I have gotten for this story. I'm so stoked that you guys are excited about this as I am. I hope the next chapters meet up with your expectation. Please let me know what you think. And as always Thank ya to Lilstraw for helping me with ideas! I wouldn't have come up with this without her push in the right direction! And thanks to my baby Andrew for listening to my exsessive rambling while I'm brainstorming!

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

The words on the picture slapped him in the face. Panic rose in his body as the urge to talk to her grew, damn the time. He picked up the phone and dialed the numbers quickly and pressed the handset close to his ear. After four painful rings there was a click on the other line.

"This had better be good Mulder, it's 2:30 in the morning." she groggily answered. He sighed heavily in relief.

"How did you know it was me?"

"You are the only person I know that calls in the middle of the night when you should be sleeping." She sounded more awake now and her concern became evident. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to hear your voice that's all." He laughed sheepishly.

"There's something you're not telling me." He sighed heavily.

"It's nothing I want to worry you about tonight. I'll tell you about it first thing in the morning." He was being honest; he didn't want to be the cause of her loosing sleep over some anonymous letter that he didn't even know was real at this point.

"Fine, goodnight, Mulder." Her voice was irritated and before he could speak another word the call was dropped. He slumped back on the couch and tossed the phone next to him. His eyes wondered over the picture again and the cryptic message that followed. Pushing it from his mind, he focused his attention on her face. She looked deep in thought in that picture, obviously trying to find logic in his world of paranormal. He studied her features, memorizing every blemish, every freckle the black and white still showed on her porcelain skin.

Frustration setting in, he jumped from the couch and put his jogging clothes on and ran out the door, slamming the door behind him. His jog was refreshing. He was relieved to find that his stress vanished with each pounding footstep on the pavement. It was 3:45 when he pushed open his door and knowing he would never sleep tonight, he decided to take a shower and go into the office early. He was hoping to get any kind of analysis he could on the haunting package.

6:13 am.

Mulder walked down the dark hallway to the basement office. He stepped inside the dank room to find it just as he had left it the night before, with the exception of another mysterious manila envelope lying on the floor at his feet. He quickly snatched the package from the floor and ripped into it. Inside was another message.

"Agent Mulder,

I must extend my apologies to you for the message I left you last night. I had planned on saying more but I found my words needed to be limited due to the extraordinary circumstances that surround my identity. I know that you have heard of me Mr. Mulder. I believe your friend from the Violent Crimes Unit has extended the help of the infamous criminal profiler that amazed even the best of agents when he was just out of the academy. Oh, dear. I must apologize again; I'm just so impressed with your own achievements that I have gone off onto a slight tangent. Let me get back to the matter at hand. I am who the papers have graciously called "The Slasher" I know you are aware of my MO so I will spear you the details. My letter to you the night before should be enough to give you insight into my plans for you and your beautiful Dana Scully. You know, as I have read in the post, that I am believed to be a person that enjoys taunting my victim's families. You also know, Agent Mulder, that you have one week until I actually plan to make a move. I've never been as open about my schedule as am I with you so I must admit, I'm shaking with excitement. Talk to you very soon. Tell Dana I send my love.

The "Slasher"

Mulder's heart raced. He turned quickly and ran out the door to the stairs. He had to get the lab and find this bastard before he had a chance to take Scully away from him.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Ok don't keep me in suspense. What did you think? Don't make me beg!


	3. Chapter 3

I'm back again. Wow. I'm so happy you guy like this story! I'm having so much fun writing it. I just hope that my "Slasher" doesn't sound too much like "The Carver" from Nip/Tuck. I never thought about it until a coworker of mine mentioned it. That was not my intention but as my fiancé said, a lot of serial killers could be closely related to the Carver in some way. I'm sorry, I'm rambling. On with the story, and as always let me know what you think.

I tried to make this one long! Hope you like it!

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

He had waited until 7:00 for the lead analyzer to arrive at the lab to drop the envelope off. Once it was in the proper hands and he was assured numerous times that he would be contacted when anything was uncovered, he retreated to the office he had left unguarded. Sighing heavily he slumped into the chair behind his desk and picked up the phone and dialed the number to his friend at VCU.

"Patterson" Came the traditional greeting from the other line.

"It's Mulder. Listen, I need to know if you have gotten anywhere with the Slasher case." He demanded, his voice laced with fear and curiosity.

"Hey, no not since the last time we spoke. Why what have you got?" Patterson was eager to have any break.

"He's planning his next attack." Mulder could feel the color drain from his face as he thought about his partner being targeted by yet another deranged serial killer.

"Who? How do you know that?"

"I know because he is targeting my partner and baiting my ego by sending me the letters. I've already sent them to the lab for analysis but I doubt we'll find anything. If he's keeping his MO, this guy is meticulous about keeping any evidence about himself a mystery." He concluded.

"Shit, Mulder." Patterson was, for the first time in his life, at a loss for words.

"I need everything you have on the case. I need to get into his head before he comes for her. I've only got a week." Mulder was eyeing a copy he had made of the letters and picture.

"Before who comes for whom, Mulder?" Came an angelic voice from the doorframe, snapping Mulder's head up from its gaze.

"I'm going to have to call you back." He said into the receiver and placed the phone into its resting spot. He looked at the women standing before him, her eyes drilling holes into his soul with each glare, demanding to be told the complete truth.

"Scully. Good morning. It's just the case I was helping the VCU with. It's nothing." He lied.

"Mulder…" Her voice was strong and piercing. His shoulders sank from their fixed posture as he watched her move to the desk and sit across from him. He sighed heavily, weighing the options of lying to her or telling her everything. Truth won over fiction as he pushed the copies across the desk for her. She glanced over the picture and saw the message written at the bottom and her eyes reflected the confusion that he obviously held. After a few short moments, she had completed the scan of the documents and tried desperately to hide the fear that was building inside of her.

"Mulder, what is going on?"

"He's known as The Slasher by the press. If you've been following the story in the paper and on the news you know that he is notorious for slicing his victims and leaving letters to the families of the victim. He was believed, at first, to be someone that was sexually frustrated because every lucky participant was a woman and was always sexually assaulted, among other things. It wasn't until his latest victim surfaced with the same stabbing and laceration marks as the others, that they called me in to profile him. The last to be murdered was a 25 year old male with no signs of sexual assult just a painfully extended death that was greater then what they were use to. Heleft behinda fiancé and a three year old daughter.Theywere sent the samemenacing letters that gave them a chance to choose between life and death for both thevictim and themselves.He has murdered six people that we know of and is very careful about leaving anything conclusive that would reveal who he is. So that's where I fit into all of this. I was called in and unforunately didn't have much to come up with, what with the little evidence they had on him. But somehow my profile was leaked to the press and now..." He watched her features change through an assortment of emotions as he ranted off his professional definition of the killer. "It seems now," he sighed, "that he is targeting you to get to me."

"This is what you called me about last night wasn't it?" Her voice was surprisingly calm as her stared at her hands, fiddling with the cuff of her suit jacket.

"Yes, I did call you last night about the first letter but I only called to make sure that you were ok. I didn't want to tell you because I didn't know what we were dealing with." She let out a loud sigh and raised her eyebrow at the man standing in front of her.

"Mulder…" She warned.

"I'm sorry" He scoffed. "I just thought I was protecting you." His eyes were wild with fear and sorrow. Everything he had done since the day that she was brought back to him after her abduction had been an attempt to keep her safe. At the moment he wasn't actually batting a thousand in that area.

"Mulder, I don't need protection. You of all people should know that. I need the facts. I want to help you with the investigation." He shot up from his chair and moved around the desk standing evadingly close to her body.

"I will not have you put on the case. I am not going to openly jeopardize your life for the sake of an investigation. I owe you more than that and I owe your family more." He swore through gritted teeth. Backing away from her and moving to the door he turned and spoke one last time before storming out without giving her room to object. "I will not lose you again, Scully."

She stared at the space that once held his presence in shock at his avid attempt to keep her from the case. She thought of how many time their lives had been in danger on any other case, and when it was he, himself, that was the target in a case he was more then willing to put himself out as bait to lure the perp in. Why was she any different? Why did he get to rest easy thinking he was keeping her safe when she worried just as much, if not more, whenever he was out there intentionally putting himself on the line?

She sighed heavily and grabbed the phone and hit redial.

"Patterson."

"Agent Patterson, this is Dana Scully. I want to know everything about the Slasher case and I would appreciate it if we kept this conversation between you and me." One thought swam around over and over again in her mind. 'The hell with him.' She was going to work the case that was so threatening to her whether he liked it or not. Even if that meant going behind his back to do so.


	4. Chapter 4

I wrote this last night at like 3 in the morning when I couldn't sleep. I hope it meets up with the othres. I may not post again for a few days. We just bought another German Shepherd puppy tonight so I'm going to be spending alot of time with her:) I named her Ripley. Andrew wouldn't let me name her Scully LOL! Well anyway enjoy and as always read and review!

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Mulder made his way down a dark hallway to a large room that held large walls of computers, surveillance equipment, and large bookshelf that held movies that consist of alien autopsies, video footage of dark shadowy government men, and a large collection of adult movies kept for a sole purpose of one of the three men that occupied the room. They glanced up, paranoia alerting their senses, at the man that stood in their doorway. All three men sighed heavily in relief and greeted him.

"Hey! Mulder, what brings you here?" Langley asked as he put away his video controller and stepped forward to their guest.

"Hey, Langley just got to the last level in DOOM. You got to see the monster he's going to fight. I'm convinced that this is what the government is planning to do with all of your abductees once they find the proper genetic mutations to inject in them." Frohike said his voice full of humor and seriousness, something he was only able to muster.

"Not now boys. I need to know if you've heard anything on your channels about this guy they call 'The Slasher'." Mulder's voice held no sense of humor or concern for anything they had to say that didn't involve the matter at hand, no matter how curious or ridiculous it may sound.

"'The Slasher'? Mulder, why would you bring that to us? We know better then anyone that you would know more then we do." Byers mentioned.

"He's targeting Scully." The three men laughed harmoniously and stopped instantly together when they noticed the serious look on their friend's face.

"How do you know?" Frohike jumped, his voice filled with anger.

"He's sending me letters. I need you to do a little digging, find out anything you can and as quickly as possible. I don't care what channels you go through just get me that information." Mulder ordered.

"Got anything for us to go on?"

"Only what I profiled when I helped out the VCU. Probably a white male, mid to late 30's, accesses to government offices that would not arouse suspicion, probably battered as a child by brothers, sisters, mother, father, friends. He's probably someone that may have had psychiatric care for being a constant shut in most of his life and battered."

"Mulder, you just described about two thousand people, not to mention all three of us. What makes you think that will help?" Langley asked in disbelief.

"I know it's vague but the guy is good at covering his tracks. I'll let you know more when I find out, I just need to know what has been discovered that may be off the record." The three men sighed and looked at each other.

"Alright, Mulder. But you have us looking for a needle in a haystack." Byers dully noted.

"Well you better grab your pitchforks boys." He said over his shoulder as he turned and retreated from the room.

Back at in the basement office Scully pulled the final paper from the fax machine and read over the notes Patterson was gracious enough to send to her. After some convincing she finally talked him into letting her in on the case. He asked if she knew that she was being targeted and warned her about the risks of getting involved. She took heed to his warning and urged him to help her. After a brief pause and an exasperated sigh, he agreed, much to his dismay. She knew he was afraid of what Mulder would do to him if he were to ever find out.

Her eyes scanned the documents before her over and over again. Once she read the first page for the third time, the door opened to reveal the mail clerk. He smiled at her and offered the mail and turned back to the elevator.

She stared at the envelopes for a while before picking them up and shuffling through them. Her eyes stopped on an unmarked package in a large manila envelope. Curiosity getting the best of her, she ripped into the package and exposed the writing within.

"Agent Scully,

I don't know if Agent Mulder has told you yet, but you and I are destined to meet soon. I don't know if you have heard about me but let me assure you, I've heard of you. I was very interested in hearing the stories of Mulder's beautiful, skeptic partner that offered only her trust and maybe something more to a genius yet paranoid individual. I was amazed and flattered that Mulder was able to profile me so accurately when I have offered not so much as a clue to my identity. I was very happy to release the information to the press when I heard what he had said about me. I wanted people to know the real me without knowing me. I know what your trained mind is thinking but sadly, no. The information I gave was under confidential relations that would not be traced to myself. My real interest in you is what you think about me. I respect your work and I must say that your work, "Einstein's Twin Paradox", was a wonderful piece of literature. I can't wait to meet you."

Scully's hands were shaking. She couldn't fathom for a second how this man could know so much about her. How would he have gotten her senior thesis? How did he get access to Mulder's profile? He must have been someone that had government privileges, someone that could easily be overlooked with a clean background. She snatched the phone from the receiver and called Mulder's cell phone. Her mind was screaming at her to put the phone down, that she didn't need him to worry, but her heart screamed to talk to him.

"Mulder."

"Mulder, it's me." Her voice quivered and she displayed a look of frustration at how desperate she sounded.

"What's wrong?" She could hear the fear in his voice.

"He sent another letter. This one was addressed to me."

"I'm on my way." He threw the phone down and quickly turned the car to the direction of the J. Edgar Hoover building. Once in the parking lot he jumped from his car and sprinted to the basement office. Throwing himself into the poorly lit room he saw Scully sitting at his desk reading the document again. She looked up and extended her hand that held the paper. He snatched the paper from her grasp and read over the words. Anger began to rise in his chest and he slammed his fist down on the desk. Scully jumped at the unexpected noise.

"You see! This is why I don't want you involved!" He began to pace the office. "I want you to go and stay with your mother. Get out of town or something before he has a chance to hurt you." He stopped and put his hand on his head, trying to will himself to come up with the answers he so desperately sought.

"Mulder, I am not leaving! This man is after me and we can use that. I can help catch this man and you can satisfy your need to watch over me and make sure that everything goes by the book."

"NO! I will not use you as bait!"

"Why not, when you are so willing to throw yourself to the wolves every time someone threatens you? You are so desperate to save other people that you ignore the fact that you are putting yourself at arms reach of death. You know the consequences but you still pursue the risks. Why is now any different?" She stood in front of him, daring him to answer with anything other than what she wanted to hear.

"It's different because you would be putting yourself on the line and not me. It's you he wants and it's me that he wants to torture for it." His arm fell to his side and he held her gaze, watching as it turned from sorrow to anger in just a blink.

"That's what this is about? You don't want to have to feel guilty for what happens to me? I assure you, Mulder that I am fully capable of taking care of myself. I thought you of all people would understand and respect that. I know a lot of things have happened to me while we've worked together but no one, especially not me, blames you for anything." She looked at him with pleading eyes. He sighed again and turned his stare to the floor.

When he didn't respond she walked back to the desk and grabbed her purse and jacket and headed to the door. Once she reached the door she turned to stare at him. His eyes were still fixed on the floor. She was hoping that he would say anything but when no word came she spoke in a hushed whisper. "I'm going home. If you finally come around, stop by. I want you to fill me in on the case." And just like that she was gone. Mulder knew she was going to fight him over this. She was stubborn and he knew he could do nothing but cave. He just needed to figure out how to word 'restricted access' without coming off offensive to her.


	5. Chapter 5

I'm back again! I still can't get over the response I'm getting for this story! It makes me soo happy that you all are enjoying it as much as I am writting it! I just want to apologize in advance for any typos there might be. I was proof reading at work cause I can't get to much done at home. This new puppy enjoys chewing on the cords to my laptop. hehe! Anyway, without further ado, here is chapter 5 of "Would You Die For Her?"

XxXxXxXxXxX

After she had left the office he turned and sat back at his desk contemplating what he would say when he got to her apartment. The shrill ring of his phone interrupted his thoughts. Sighing in frustration, Mulder picked up the offending noise and answered sharply.

"Yeah"

"Mulder, it's me. I've got some interesting information for you. Can you stop by?" It was Byers. Mulder's heart lept at the thought of getting any lead that would save her.

"Yeah, I'll be right over." He replaced the receiver and, without so much as another thought, jumped from his desk and out the door.

Once back at the Lone Gunman lair he was greeting by three very excited men. Mulder knew that each man in the room cared greatly for Scully's well being and would do anything they could to help save her life.

"What have you got?"

"Well, as we told you, looking for what you gave us should have been like looking for sand in a salt shaker. However, when we dug deeper we found three names with eerily similar backgrounds that matched your profile. Each man has access to government information as well as access to the J. Edgar Hoover Building." Byers stopped and pulled a piece of paper from the printer.

"One man is an Agent, Agent John Hoskins. He was put in therapy for a social disorder that developed in his early teens. After two years of therapy he was said to have been completely rehabilitated. Second is a Mr. David Younce. Mr. Younce works as a mail clerk in the building and too was put in therapy for a social disorder, however that was all we could find on him. After one session everything else came up blank." Byers dropped his head as if to indicate failure. He moved over to lean against a desk in the corner of the wall.

"What about the third?" Mulder asked. Langley spoke up.

"The third is who I am putting my money on. His name is William Roach. He was in the army for two years and did time in Vietnam. When he returned he suffered from PTSD but the symptoms were never server enough to be admitted for psychiatric observation. There is nothing on his mental health after that." Langley finished.

"How does he have government access?" Mulder asked getting more and more impatient by each passing second.

"Well, as you can imagine, with PTSD on your resume government jobs can be hard to come by, but it seems someone was kind enough to give him a position as a security guard at the FBI building. He was required to see a psychiatrist at least once a year if not more but has been employed for three years and has yet to show and has seemed to slip through the cracks beautifully." Mulder's mind processed the information. It would make sense; all three men would have some access to the VCU and could easily acquire his profile without causing suspicion. It would explain how the press was able to get a hold of it as well. And it would clear up how this person was able to slip notes under the door of their office and send mail to them without postage.

"Alright, I need addresses, phone numbers, living relatives..." Mulder began to rant. Byers interrupted by handing him the paper that he held closely.

"Already done." Byers smiled at how predictable his friend was.

"Thanks." He was about to turn and leave when the once annoying voice, now so quite through the conversation, spoke up.

"Mulder, watch over her. I mean it, man." Frohike's voice sounded full of fear. Everyone knew that Frohike had always had an attraction to Scully but after her abduction and the passion Mulder had displayed in getting her back, he knew he'd be better off keeping his thoughts to himself. Even if Mulder couldn't admit it to himself, everyone around them knew the secrets that they both tried to deny. Mulder nodded, turned, and bolted out the door. Once at his car he dialed a number quickly.

"Patterson, It's me. I've got three suspects that we need to talk to now. I'm heading back to my office to get some paperwork. Can you meet me there in ten minutes?" Mulder's heart was racing.

"Whoa, slow down, Mulder. Where did you get these names?" Patterson sounded skeptic and Mulder didn't expect anything less.

"Does that matter right now? Can you meet me or should I go this alone?" He heard Patterson sigh heavily on the other line and answer.

"Alright, I'm on my way." Mulder didn't respond. He quickly ended the call and dialed her number.

"Scully." He smiled at her answer. Even when he called on her home phone she always answered like a professional.

"It's me, where are you?" He asked already knowing the answer to the question. She was at home waiting for him to come over and rectify his behavior by letting her in on the case.

"I'm at home, where I said I would be." Her voice was calm but sharp with frustration.

"I'm sorry, but we have a lead on the case. Patterson and I are on our way to talk to some suspects. I still want you to reconsider. I don't want you to put yourself in harms way if you don't have to. We can catch this guy but I don't want to have to worry about you." Before he could continue he heard her sigh loudly and interrupt him.

"Mulder, did you ever stop to think that maybe being out on the case would lure him to us?"

"No! Damnit, Scully, listen to me. I'm not willing to put you at risk and loose you to some psychopath! If you won't go stay with your mother then I'm going to have someone watch you." He knew this wasn't going to end well.

"Why do you feel the need to protect me? Mulder, I am a grown women and an FBI agent, I am fully capable to looking after myself."

"I know that, Scully. I just can't take the chance that something should happen when your guard is down. I couldn't live with the fact that I lost you because I couldn't protect you." He pulled into the parking garage and heard the line begin to break. "I'm back at the office; Patterson should be meeting me soon. I need to go. Just promise me..." Before he could complete the sentence the call was dropped.

He knew that she would be furious with him and that his Scully was a strong willed, independent person that didn't like being protected, even when she was facing extreme peril. He could only hope that she would have heard the desperation in his voice as he spoke to her and take heed to his warning. He made his way back to the office and found Patterson waiting for him with anxious eyes.

He would have to think about it later. Right now, he needed to focus everything on catching the bastard that threatened his entire world.


	6. Chapter 6

These next chapters may get a little boring but I will try my best to keep them interesting. Hope you enjoy and as always read and review!

XxXxXxXxXxX

Mulder greeted Patterson upon entering his office. He walked over to his desk in complete silence, ignoring Patterson's pleading eyes, and grabbed the file with the case notes and letters and headed back for the door.

"Mulder, are you going to tell me anything at all before we question these people?" He was shocked that Mulder was so oblivious to his presence after such an astounding break in the case.

"Huh?" Mulder asked deep in thought. He studied his colleague's expression and brought himself slowly from his abyss of thought. "Sorry, we've got three suspects, all with a history of mental illness and access to the profile and this office. One is an Agent, another is a mail clerk and the final is a security guard all in the building." Mulder skimmed the paper that Byers had handed him.

"Where did you get this?"

"Confidential source, does it really matter?" Mulder stared across the room at the man.

"Fine, don't tell me, Mulder. But if this comes back on us and we are not able to prosecute because of this 'confidential source' then your ass is going to be on the line." Patterson walked to the door to accompany him.

"When is it not?" Mulder asked seriously and turned to head to the elevator.

Once upstairs, they went to the mail room to see if they could pull David Younce from his mail run. His supervisor was reluctant but finally agreed when he heard why they needed to question him. They placed the man in a small room that use to be an office that was now empty with the exception of two chairs and a small card table. They were trying to keep things as casual as possible.

David was sitting on one chair and Patterson in the other. Mulder, however, was pacing the room, making the timid mail clerk extremely nervous.

"What is this about?" David asked in a small voice. Patterson looked at Mulder who nodded to allow him to start.

"We just wanted to ask you a few questions, that is all." David nodded. Mulder spoke up. He already was getting frustrated with Patterson's passive approach to this questioning.

"You delivered a package to Agent Scully in our basement office today without postage or return address. Do you know where it came from?" Mulder's eyes were wild but his demeanor was professional.

"Package?" David whispered. "They gave me what I needed to deliver this morning. I assume it was in there with the rest of the mail."

"You were diagnosed with a social disorder earlier in life. Can you tell us why you never sought physiatrist treatment for this?" Mulder asked, raising an eyebrow quizzically. Patterson glanced over his shoulder at the offending question. 'That's Mulder for you; harsh and right to the point.'

"Why does that matter?" David pondered, his expression showing his true confusion.

"I believe we are asking the questions." Patterson retorted.

"Ok, fine. It was a long time ago. I was bullied as a kid; my family was torn apart from alcohol dependency from both my mother and my father. They spent my entire college fund on booze and I had no where to go. I moved out with my cousin when I was nineteen and watched him slowly kill himself on cocaine. Soon after that I saw a shrink for my behavior. Then I met Kevin, he got me my job here and I'm sad to say it's the best thing that's ever happened to me." David's head fell as his mind dwelled on the painful memories. His eyes shot up to meet Mulder's. "What does this have to do with a package being delivered to Agent Scully? I hardly see where you are going with this."

"What kind of behavior?" Mulder asked, ignoring his last question.

"I was thought to have assaulted a girl in a high school parking lot. I honestly didn't and they proved that later. However, I punched a cop that came to talk to me with the accusation and my mother, who showed up miraculously sober, and told them I was venting past anger and I did a lot as a child. They made me see someone about it and they said I had aggression issues due to… I can't remember what they called it…"

"Social detachment?" Patterson offered.

"Yeah, that sounds similar to it but with more medical words." David's brows furrowed in an attempt to pull the information from the depths of his mind with not much luck. Mulder watched his every detail closely. Deciding he had heard enough for this sitting he walked to the door and opened it.

"Thank you, David. If we need anything else we'll stop back by and talk to you, ok?" With that Mulder retreated from the small room leaving Patterson to wonder what the hell he was up to. He, too, thanked David Younce and chased after Mulder.

"What the hell was that? I thought you wanted to interrogate him, push them to the edge to make them confess. I've seen you in action, Mulder, and this is not it. What are you trying to do?"

"I'm trying to find this guy and keep Agent Scully safe. Get Agent Hoskins in here. I want to talk to him next." Mulder shouted over his shoulder and walked down the hall. Patterson was left wondering if the personal relationship between him and his partner was causing Mulder to falter. Ignoring his concerns momentarily, he pulled out his phone and began to try to locate their next suspect.

Within twenty minutes he had tracked down Agent Hoskins and pulled him into the same small room that David was in. Patterson called Mulder back and just as he was about to reach his destination his cell phone rang.

"Mulder"

"Agent Mulder, Assistant Director Kersh wants to see you in his office right away." It was Kersh's secretary.

"Can it wait?" He asked with complete disregard of a direct order from his boss.

"He thought you might ask and said to tell you that if you weren't in his office and five minutes he was putting you on suspension." Mulder snorted angrily.

"Fine, I'll be there." He slammed his cell phone shut and placed in back in his pocket. Patterson stared at him waiting for an answer. "Kersh wants me in his office now. Start talking to him, don't push him to hard and I'll be back as soon as I can." Mulder instructed.

"What is it about?" But Patterson already knew.

Mulder reached the office and, ignoring his secretary completely, let himself in without question. "You wanted to see me, Sir?"

"Sit down, Agent Mulder." He did as he was told and took his seat across the table from the man before him.

"What is this about sir?" Mulder asked innocently.

"This is about you pulling Agent Hoskins into an interrogation that you haven't mentioned to anyone except Agent Patterson." Kersh started. Mulder noticed that the man looked more worried then anything. For once in his life, Mulder could not read the emotions of his face like he could before. "Patterson has told me about the case, that someone is threatening Agent Scully. I am shocked that you didn't bring this to me before." His eyes bore holes in Mulder as he dared him to speak. Mulder said nothing. "She is your partner and a man that is linked to six different murders is threatening her life. If you would have told us when you first got the letter we could have this man by now instead of you starting from the bottom and harassing mail clerks." Mulder couldn't hold himself back anymore.

"This man is sending letters to Agent Scully and I with no postage slipped under our door and delivered by David Younce, it seemed like a great place to start. Especially considering this man's letter to Scully admitted that my profile was vague but right. He has to be someone with access to the government building and the VCU to get access to that information." Kersh took it all in.

"I want Agent Scully in my office. I want to talk to her about protective custody." 

"She wont take it. I asked her to leave town, stay with her mother, anything. She insists on being active in the case but I refuse to put her in harms way." Mulder jumped from his seat as his photographic memory replayed their earlier argument. Kersh sighed and relaxed into his chair.

"Mulder, I'm taking you off the interrogations, Patterson has that covered now and will have more Agents joining to assist." Mulder began to pace the room, clearly livid with this Assistant Director's orders. "Listen to me," Mulder stopped and looked sharply at him. "You are her partner and she trusts you. I want you to make sure nothing happens to her. Bring her in with you and rework your profile so we have more to go on. I don't want anything happening to her. Can I trust you with that?" Mulder's expression lightened.

"I would never let anything happen to her." He admitted openly to his boss. Kersh nodded and Mulder retreated from the office consumed by anger, sorrow, desperation, and something else he was terrified to admit. Love.


	7. Chapter 7

Hola, I'm back! I hope this next chapter meets up with the standards of my others!I'm trying, just gotta bear with me. Sometimes it takes a little while to get into the flow. I promise you though, I'm doing my homework. (By homework I mean I'm watching all the Xfiles I can to make sure I keep up the simi acurate character protrail. g) Anyway as always read and review and sorry in advance for any grammer or punctuation errors there may be. Oh, and spelling in this half... I don't know what I'd do without spell check!

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Mulder stormed through the federal building returning to the room that he left Patterson to watch. The hallway was full of agents asking questions, taking orders, and reading copies of the case reports. Mulder was astonished that they were able to get all of this done in the short time he was in Kersh's office. This did not set well with him to say the least. If fact, it actually added fuel to the fire.

Mulder walked into the now empty room to find Patterson sitting at the table studying the picture of Mulder and Scully together. He turned to acknowledge Mulder's presence and saw the anger on his face. Mulder marched up to Patterson glaring down at the man before him.

"What the hell is going on?" He demanded.

"Whoa, Mulder, calm down. I did want I needed to do." Patterson responded. He was actually afraid of this man at this moment. He had seen Mulder's temper before and vowed early on to not land on the receiving end of that temper. However, this was different. Another agent's life depended on what he had to do.

"That's bullshit! I know what I am doing! I'm keeping her safe." Mulder stated. Patterson stood up and walked away from him.

"Mulder, I would have thought you of all people would be pulling out the stops to catch this bastard. He is threatening to take your partner away from you and you've become passive. Do you even care?" Patterson regretted the words the minute they fell from his mouth.

"What the hell would give you the idea that I don't care about her? I do care! I care enough to do everything I can to keep her from harm. I don't want to piss these people off! I have to protect her and taking a passive approach seemed the best way to do that." Mulder said, his voice dropping slightly.

"Then where is she? Mulder, how do you know we are even right? How do you know that this man doesn't have an informant here in the building and has already informed him of the leap in the investigation?" Patterson walked over to Mulder and leaned against the table. "How do you know that he doesn't already have her?"

"No. He wouldn't break schedule over something like this. We need to keep looking." Fear jumped into his chest as he backed out of the office. "We're right, I know we are. We just need to be smart about our next move." Mulder snatched a file from the stack outside the office and sprinted to his office. He grabbed his keys and dashed through the parking garage to his car. Once inside he pulled out his cell phone and dialed her number.

No answer.

His heart rate tripled as the panic was almost unbearable. Just as he was about to call her cell his phone shrilled throughout the car. He quickly answered, ignoring the name on the caller ID.

"Scully?"

"Mulder, what's going on?" She could hear the worry in his voice.

"Nothing, I'm on my way over. Kersh wants you to come in and assist me with the profile." Mulder covered, mentally slapping himself for only telling the partial truth.

"Mulder, why is it so hard for you to tell me the truth? Why don't you just say you want me in there with you so you could keep an eye on me?" Her voice rose with irritation.

"Listen, I'll be over soon. We'll talk then." He heard her sign heavily and ended the call.

Scully closed her cell phone and threw it on the couch. At that moment, seeing Mulder was the last thing she wanted. All of her life she was protected for being a women by her brothers, coworkers, and now Mulder. It was now what she needed. She hated that he looked at her as fragile. She paced the apartment thinking of what she was going to say to him when he arrived. Moments later her thoughts were interrupted by the pounding of a fist on her front door. She made her way to the entrance and let him in.

"Mulder, I'm not coming in to just help you work on the profile." She started before he could even step into the apartment.

"I'm sorry but you don't have much of a choice." He responded. Anger flashed over her expressions so he continued before she could. "Kersh took me off the case, Scully. He only wants me to update the profile based on the letters I've received." Anger vanished and was quickly replaced by fear.

"What?" She voice shook slightly.

"Patterson went to Kersh because he believed I wasn't doing everything I could to find this guy before he got to you." He noticed the fear instantly and walked over close to her. She looked down to hide her face. "What's wrong?"

"I was never afraid before, Mulder, because I knew you would catch this guy. I wanted to be there next to you like I always am when you do. I only trust you Mulder. I don't trust these men with my life." She looked up at him, her voice calm and collected; masking the horrid feeling she was burning in her chest.

"Then why don't you stay with your mother or me?" He asked. Her eyebrow shot up in its usual skeptical position. "I just want to know that you are safe. It would make me feel better." She smiled slightly.

"Mulder, I appreciate it but-"He interrupted her.

"Just think about it. For now, get your things. We need to get back and I need your help. I'm sorry it took me so long to admit it." He always knew exactly what she needed to hear. She walked over to the couch and picked up her belongings and turned back to him. She noticed that he was watching her intently. She looked confused.

"What?" She asked. He shook his head to awake him from his reverie.

"Nothing, you ready?" She eyes him suspiciously.

"Yeah," She walked to the door and waited for him to exit so she could lock it. In the hallway, Mulder watched her moments, studying her, memorizing her. He had done so many times before but now it seemed different. He couldn't quite understand why all of the sudden, since he received the first letter, his mind had wondered to her constantly. He felt uncomfortable to admit it even in his mind, but since the events of the last few days he couldn't stop the growing love he felt for her. His mind told him to be thankful for the emotion because it was the only thing that was going to keep him from letting her be taken into the hands of this madman.


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry it's been a while. I've been pretty busy here lately and my emotional state has been making it difficult to concentrate. Anyway I hope you like this chapter. I don't know that I like the end of it but oh well. I just wanted to get it posted. I've kept everyone waiting long enough :) Anyway. Here it is. Enjoy!

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Mulder and Scully walked briskly to his car. He dug deep within his pocket to locate his keys when he heard Scully gasp. He looked up to lock his eyes on an envelope slipped under the windshield wiper of his car. His breath caught in his throat as he looked around for anyone that he may recognize from the office. Finding no one that aroused concern he reached for the message and tore it from its place inside the package. His eyes skimmed the words before he read them aloud for Scully to hear.

"Agent Mulder,

I know you look for me with great urgency. I also know that uncontrollable factors have given you limited access to the investigation. It's a pity. You were so close. It's a shame that imbecile from violent crimes could not see the skillful accuracy that was my profile. Unfortunately, as he had said and you disagreed, I am going to have to change my plans around a bit. Tell Agent Scully that I am looking forward to meeting her. However, that is not why I write to you now. I am sending this letter to reiterate a question that I have already asked you. Would you die for her? I was once told that life is greater than death, Agent Mulder. But love, love is greater then both. I hope you take my words into consideration and prepare yourself to make a choice."

She looked at him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears that her stoic demeanor struggled valiantly to conceal. Mulder walked close to her and put his hands on her arms.

"Scully?" He looked concerned for obvious reasons. This man was toying with them. Making them confront emotions that they had suppressed for years.

"Mulder, what if…" she couldn't speak the words. She was actually openly terrified. This message was more haunting than the others, demanding answers to questions that were only brought forward in dreams, nightmares. What if she died? What if he died? She couldn't bear to think about it.

"No, it won't happen. I am here and I am not letting anything happen to you." She shook her head slightly and snapped herself back into professionalism. He watched her emotions plummet back behind the wall that she had carefully constructed and felt his disappointment grow. He back away from her slowly and nodded to the car. "We need to get back." She moved to the other side of the car and took her place in the passenger seat and he in the driver's.

The ride back was silent and alarmingly uneventful until, when only a block away from the J. Edgar Hoover building they were violently run off the road by a black SUV. From Mulder's view it looked as if the car had lost control and slammed into them. He blacked out for only a minute when he head crashed into the driver side window. When he came too he looked over to check on Scully. Her head lulled to the side and she moaned softly.

"Scully are you ok?" He tried to move but the damage to the car pushed the steering wheel down to trap his legs. He watched the other car for any movement. Seeing none, his attention once again turned to Scully. The black Lincoln Town Car that pulled up behind them was out of his peripheral vision and was completely unnoticed. "Scully?" She moaned again and opened her eyes.

"Mulder, what happened?"

"Are you alright?" He asked again, choosing to answer her question later. He was more concerned about her than anything else. She looked around taking in the scene.

"I'm fine, Mulder." Before he could respond there was a knock on her window.

"Are you guys alright?" The bystander asked without allowing his face to be revealed to Mulder.

"We're okay. How are they?" Mulder asked throwing his arm in the direction of the other vehicle.

"Everything is ok, help is on the way. We need to get you out of the car. I think it may be leaking gas." The man's body turned down the length of the car and his hand pointed below the gas tank. He then turned and pulled Scully's door open quickly and ripped her from the passenger seat. "Come on miss, we need to get you out of here." He said.

"Mulder, can you get out?" She asked. Before he could respond the man pulled her away from the car and pushed her to the awaiting Town Car. "Mulder!" She screamed has he watched in horror.

"Scully! Let her go, please! Take me!" He finally spoke through the cracked window. "Take me, please!" He begged. The man turned back to the car momentarily and Mulder got his first look at his face. He wasn't any of the men from the interrogations and held no familiarity at all. He was tall, dark brown hair, trench coat, no facial hair, no tattoos or distinguishing marks. His mind tried to remember every detail.

"Not now Mr. Mulder. You get to make your choice, just not right now." The man pushed Scully into the back of the car and slid himself in beside her. The occupant of the SUV got out and took his place in the driver's side. Mulder gasped when he looked at the man's face. He knew that man and had seen him almost every day for the past five years.

"No." He muttered. The car pulled off down the street and he began to pull violently at the restraint his in lap. "NO! Scully!" The car disappeared around the corner of a building as an ambulance pulled up from behind.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Hope it wasn't disapointing. Let me know!


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry it has taken me so long. I've had a lot of things happen this past week that I haven't been able to write much. I wrote this tonight while watching the X-files and it was quick. I am sorry for any silly errors or typos but I just can't concentrate right now. I'm sorry. begs for forgiveness I promise I'll get things together to make the next few chapters awesome! 

Hope you enjoy this none the less and as always let me know what ya think! 

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

It had taken only thirty minutes to free Mulder from the wrecked vehicle. Soon he was on his way to the office having already informed Kersh and Patterson of the events. His heart raced but he was determined to stay calm. Scully's life depended on it. Mulder briefed the officers on the scene once he was out of the car and they eagerly helped him in anyway they could which amounted to nothing more then a ride two blocks away. Mulder's sore body forbid him making the short jog.

He was greeted by a rush of agents, all of whom demanding information as to Scully's captor. Mulder ignored all of them making his way quickly to Kersh's office. Without waiting for a response from his secretary, he burst through the doors startling the Assistant Director.

"Mulder, what is going on? All I heard from the call was that you were in an accident." Kersh stood up and walked over to Mulder examining the cuts on his face from a distance.

"They took her. Scully is gone, I couldn't save her. We were run off the road by a black SUV and were aided by a man in a Lincoln Town car whose only intention was to take her and leave me pinned under the steering wheel." Kersh's eyes widened and his shock was replaced with fear and anger.

"Did you get a good look at them?" Kersh asked impatiently.

"I did better than that. I can ID one of them." Mulder stated as he paced the office in frustration. Kersh nodded for him to continue but they were interrupted by the shrill ring of Mulder's cell phone. He jumped and quickly answered the small device.

"Mulder" came his usual, calm greeting.

"Agent Mulder, it's so good to finally speak to you and not feel like I need to mask my identity." Mulder's arms waved furiously in the arm indicating to Kersh who was on the other line.

"Where is Scully?" 

"That is what I am calling about Agent Mulder. You see, Dana has amazed me beyond anything I could have ever hoped for. She is so strong with everything that she has been through. It amazes me that she can keep her cool. I think she draws strength from you, Agent Mulder. She whispers your name ever so often."

"What the hell have you done to her, you bastard!" Mulder screamed into the phone.

"Nothing to serious yet but the day is young. Agent Mulder, can you tell me, since you did such a wonderful job with what you had to work with on my profile, what I am going to ask you?" The man teased.

"You want me to make the choice." Mulder whispered. Kersh's eyes widened when he heard the words. He knew his agents and as much as he despised the fact that their talents were wasted on the X-files he respected them all the same. When they were assigned to him he was told by many others, including their former boss, Assistant Director Skinner, that they were the best Agents the Washington office had to offer and were closer than lovers. Kersh had paid the information no attention and treated them like any other agent under him. After a few months be began to see the trust as they stood up for each other in front of him. He knew they would die for one another. And now, here they were, being put to that test.

"Mulder, No!" Kersh whispered.

"Very good, Mulder." The man paused briefly. "And what is your response? Let me guess, you would die for her. I knew that before I ever delivered that package." Mulder winced at the words.

"Then why not just take me?" He was trying to keep control of the conversation.

"Because that would have ruined all the fun and as much as I love Agent Scully, my real interest is in you."

"Fine, where do you want me to go?" Mulder demanded. Kersh dropped his head when his agent failed, yet again, to listen to a direct order.

"Drive to your apartment and sit outside. Come alone and wait for us there. You will receive further instructions from there. And Mulder, just to let you know, I have eyes and ears everywhere. Come alone or I will waste no time in torturing your pretty little partner all night long. Do I make myself clear?" Mulder swallowed hard and thought about how to plan his next move.

"Yes, I'll be there." He heard a muffled cry as the man laughed in delight and then the line went dead. Mulder's heart skipped as he thought of Scully tied up to a bed or strapped to a chair trying desperately to mask the fear that was threatening to cloud her beautiful eyes. Mulder placed the phone on the table and turned to Kersh. "I need to go to my apartment." He stated.

"Agent Mulder, you realize that you are putting yourself in the line of fire on this one?" Kersh asked hoping to scare him into another decision. He knew it was pointless.

"I have to go." Mulder turned and headed for the door.

"At least give us something to go on." Kersh's tone was soft and trusting.

"The man that ran us off the road was the mail clerk, David Younce. I've seen that man every day for five years and would have never thought that he would be capable of getting into something like this. If you want to help me, find out who he is working for. I need to get to Scully. She needs me." Mulder whispered and pulled the door open and quickly ran out and down the hall to the group of agents awaiting his return. Mulder demanded for a car and was granted one by a green agent without much common sense in the shadow of 'spooky' Mulder. Kersh watched him from the open doorway as everyone granted his every command, following him like he was a born leader. He shook his head and picked called for the group to meet him in the conference room for briefing. He silently prayed that they solved this case before anyone else was killed.


	10. Chapter 10

Hey, I know it's been awhile I'M SORRY! lots and lots of stuff going on at the moment! But I am getting back into control of it all so it's going better. Just wanted to say thanks to Ruth for taking so much time to respond to my story and answer all my silly questions… and for beta'ing my latest chapter! Thanks! As always, read and review and ENJOY!

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

Mulder's heart raced as he pulled his car to a stop in front of his apartment. He waited for ten agonizing minutes when his cell phone finally rang. This was it, the instructions to lead him to his fate and to save the life of his partner.

"What now?" he asked without a greeting.

"Come on upstairs. Agent Scully and I are waiting for you," the man whispered with a menacing tone. Mulder winced when the line went dead. The demand was simple.

He sat and contemplated it for a few, brief moments. Finally, figuring he had left them waiting long enough, he pulled himself from the car and made his way to the apartment with the awaiting occupants.

Once upstairs, he twisted the doorknob to find it was unlock as he expected. Mulder braced himself for the sight he might see and pushed the door opened. At first, he saw nothing that would arouse pain or suspicion until he walked into his living room to find Scully tied tightly to a chair and gagged with tape. Her moans and panicked; suppressed grunts were loud but ignored. He pulled his gun from the holster and surveyed his surroundings. Once he was satisfied that the person pulling the strings was not close, he pulled off her gag and whispered to her silently, "Shh, I'll get you out of here."

"Mulder, no, please. Don't do this." He moved away from her and moved to the other rooms that he had not secured. He stopped short when a morbid whisper from behind him pulled his attention.

"Hello, Agent Mulder." He turned violently and looked to the direction of the voice. His view of the man before him was distorted by darkness that masked his face. He strained his eyes with no avail in hopes of recognizing the mastermind behind the murders.

"Let her go. You have me," Mulder snapped.

"In due time, Mulder," he hissed.

"Mulder," Scully started when the dark figure lunged forward and slapped her face. Mulder jerked and screamed at her captor.

"Leave her alone!" he screamed to the shadow. "You have me! Let her go!" He ordered.

"I want silence while I speak." He waited to make sure his pawns would obey. After a painful minute, he continued. "Now that I have your attention, there is only one way to remove yourself from this situation that would allow Agent Scully to come away alive." He looked at the pain that passed over the Agents' faces. "You'll come with me, but she must suffer pain that you must inflict on her. You must make her forget what has happened here tonight. She knows who I am and where I am going. She will come out of this alive if you agree but she must suffer as you will." Scully's face revealed the panic that she was facing, but her eyes conveyed trust that he knew could only come from years of partnership.

"What are you asking?" Mulder ventured.

"Put her in a coma." There it was; the pain that he was expecting.

"No." His words were stern. "I will not hurt her."

"Will you hurt her to save her?" the man asked.

"Mulder, don't. It's not worth it," Scully pleaded. He ignored her.

"I've caused her too much pain." Mulder muttered, grief filling his heart.

"I know of the pain you think you have felt. I can show you pain if you want, Mr. Mulder." The man stopped and moved quickly to the figure in the chair and pulled a knife from behind his back. As smoothly as it appeared the knife was now positioned under his beautiful partner's chin. Resting uncomfortably against her porcelain skin. "One flick of my wrist, Mr. Mulder, and I can show you pain."

Mulder's heart wrenched. "Why are you doing this!" he screamed.

"You haven't figured it out yet, have you? You have had her in your life for years, yet you have not acted on the one solid thing that you have had to hold you back from the darkness that has plagued your life. Why is that? What invitation have you been waiting for?" Mulder looked at his partner, watching her eyes for any glimmer of hope.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I've been asked to teach you to respect what other men have died to obtain that you have thrown away at every prime opportunity." The frustration was evident on the man's face. "We've waited long enough. Either do it now or leave here less of a man then you were when you arrived." The man's grip tightened over Scully's neck to express his seriousness.

"All right! I'll do it!" His grip loosened as Mulder lowered his gun and walked over to where they stood. He gazed down at Scully, tears glistening in his eyes, and raised the butt of his gun. "I'm so sorry, Dana." He whispered tenderly, using her first name as emphasis.

"Mulder, NO!" She screamed as he swung his arm down. The handle of his gun came into contact with her head, and she slumped over in a severely painful silence. Mulder collapsed over in agony and whimpered at his partner's fallen body. He barely heard the words of the man that caused this as he called for paramedics to come collect the agent's unconscious form. His attention was so consumed by his guilt that he didn't even feel the needle prick his arm. His consciousness began to slip just moments later.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

I'm sorry! It was for her own good!


	11. Chapter 11

Well, here is my next installment. I hope you enjoy it as much as the last chapter. I was very, very happy with the reviews that I got. I was so sure that I would have recieved hate mail for Mulder's actions towards Scully but I am glad you all understood that it was what he felt he needed to do. Of course this doesn't come without guilt on Mulder's part. Something I have been meaning to say for the past few chapters is thank you! This is my most popular story with by far the most support that I had ever expected! I'm really greatful. But enough of my rambling and onto the story! sneaks in one finaly comment Thank you again, Ruth, for your questions and constructive critisim and beta'ing my story:) R&R

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Mulder awoke slowly and realized instantly that he was tied in a chair similar to the way Scully had been bound. His eyes scanned the room only to find nothing more then a door and a lamp in a far corner of the room. His head throbbed as his mind replayed the events in his apartment. He shut his eyes and let the images invade his thoughts. The final scene played, when he smashed the end of his gun into Scully's head leaving her unconscious but alive. He saw himself fall to the floor and hold her hands tightly in his as the shadowed figure moved away from them. He heard himself speak words he didn't remember saying.

"I'm so sorry, Dana. Please, forgive me. I'm so sorry." He repeated these words over and over again in his mind and slowly began to speak them aloud. Guilt plagued his heart at the thought of causing her pain that could have been avoided. "If only I had waited." He muttered to himself even though he knew there was no way around it. The knife, the threats, his anxious decision bared enough weight to crush his conscience. Nothing he could have done would have changed the outcome, he knew that. All the evidence was there but he couldn't shake the guilt.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the single door in the room to opening. The same man from his apartment walked slowly into the room and stood only a few feet from were he sat. "I'm glad to see you're awake."

"How is she?" She was his only concern now.

"I don't know. I have never had the pleasure of someone willingly taking the place of their chosen loved one. This is completely new to me. I am so pleased to test you." His voice was sinister and sent chills down his spine.

"Is this a game to you?" Mulder asked bitterly.

"Now that isn't very fair. I hate that this test is being reduced to a childish game. I am making you realize what you have in life by making you choose your life for your partners. I want you to know what you have but have refused to confront."

"If you want me to admit feelings for her, killing me isn't going to get us very far now is it?" Mulder spat. He needed to keep the man talking. He needed to buy time.

"There are ways out of this that would allow you to get back to her with the appreciation of knowing that you have the courage to admit the truth." The man laughed suddenly. "It's ironic that you search day in and day out for the truth about aliens, your sister, the death of your father, the consortium, and the governments role in everything that has happened to you, but you can not seem to admit the truth that you see in front of you everyday that you walk into that basement office." He turned away and began to pace.

"Why are you doing this?" His voice was unrecognizable to himself.

"Love is something everyone seeks. Some men find it and never let go of what they hold onto. Others take advantage of what they have and don't realize it until it is gone. I was one of those men. I had a life and a love that I took for granted. I lost her because I was selfish and absorbed in my work. She was murdered two weeks before her 35th birthday." He stopped and rubbed his hands over his face. "That was six months ago. Since then I was awakened to the facts I have given you. I pity the men that are who I was. As I watched these people I began to realize that it wasn't just men that would act this way, but women as well. I wanted them to realize what they had before they lost it that is why I gave them a chance. It was all to prove their devotion to their significant others."

"You murdered those people though. You've become exactly what caused you grief." Mulder said sincerely. The man stopped and considered this for a moment.

"Yes, but it is a choice they had that I was never given."

"You said there was a way out of this?" Mulder inquired. There was a sinister smile that spread across his captors face.

"Are you willing to play by the rules?"

"I want to know that she is ok before I agree to anything." Mulder demanded.

"Fair enough, I'll get your proof. If that is what you really want." With that he retreated from the room and left Mulder alone with his thoughts.

His mind stayed on Scully, his worry growing with each passing second. His heart felt like it would burst from the guilt that held it tightly. He pulled against his restraints hoping to find a weak spot to slip through with no avail. After struggling for close to twenty minutes his exhausted body gave out and the grief spilled over his barriers. Tears slowly escaped his eyes as he silently prayed, for the first time in many years, that he had not hurt her.

Across town Dana Scully lay in a hospital bed with a bandage wrapped around the wound on her head. Her mother and brother, Bill, sat at her bedside waiting for any movement to come from their loved one. They knew nothing surrounding the circumstances of her injury, just that she received a blow to her left temple that caused her to slip into an unconscious state in Fox Mulder's apartment. And now he was missing.

That was enough for Bill Scully to draw conclusions where the police would not. They were informed of the investigation and the letters Fox Mulder was plagued with but Bill concluded that his sister was once again sitting in a hospital bed fighting for her life thanks to that paranoid asshole partner of hers.

He planned the confrontation in his mind. If he could get away with it, he knew he would kill the son of a bitch that caused his family such pain. Bill's temper was raising and he felt he needed to get some air. He excused himself from his sister's hospital room and made his way down the hall. He reached the front desk and stopped shortly when he heard a man at the front desk asking questions about his sister's condition and if he could be permitted to see her. Bill stepped up beside the man.

"Can I help you?" He asked sharply. The man looked quizzically at Bill. "I'm Dana's brother." The man's face softened.

"I work with Dana, I heard what happened and I wanted to come by and make sure she was ok. There were rumors around the building that Agent Mulder attacked her." The man said. Bill's expression turned hostile.

"I don't know what happened to her but I know that bastard had something to do with it!" He shouted. "And now he is missing, probably running around looking for his little green aliens with no regard to my sister's health at all." Bill's anger blinded common sense.

"How is she?" The man asked.

"She's still unconscious-" Bill started but the man turned from him and left the hospital leaving him confused to say the least. Once outside the man pulled a tape recorder from his pocket and spoke quietly into it.

"How does it feel, Agent Mulder, to know that her family blames you for this?" He then pressed stop and placed the recorder safely into his pocket and headed back to his car and back to his hideout.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Comments welcome. They make me happy:)


	12. Chapter 12

Hope I'm not losing anyone! My comments will be breif since last time they were so long! Please, let me know if I should continue at the rate I'm going or just hurry up and end it! I love the reviews so PLEASElet me know!

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Mulder awoke once again to find himself still tied to the chair. His mind wondered when his body finally subdued itself in its exhaustion. He had struggled for what seems like hours and then finally broke down and wept. He cried for the pain that he had caused her and the pain that he knew he would have to deal with for many years to come. The memory of bringing the gun to her head without so much as another thought, other than to keep her safe would haunt him.

He glanced around the room and saw a speaker sitting in the corner. His photographic memory confirmed that it had not been there before. He wondered what was to come next in this living nightmare. Before his thoughts could continue down the different psychological explanations into the mind of his captor, the speaker began to pour out words from two familiar voices.

"Can I help you?" the voice asked bitterly. "I'm Dana's brother."

"I work with Dana, I heard what happened and I wanted to come by and make sure she was ok. There were rumors around the building that Agent Mulder attacked her." the second voice said. Mulder's anger boiled at the lie.

"I don't know what happened to her but I know that bastard had something to do with it!" Bill shouted. "And now he is missing, probably running around looking for his little green aliens with no regard to my sister's health at all." The anger vanished as quickly as it appeared. Mulder knew Bill never cared for him, the man that caused such pain in his sister's life, and Mulder told himself that he shouldn't care. However, acceptance into a warm and loving family, like Scully's, was something he always dreamt of.

"How is she?" the man asked.

"She's still unconscious." Bill's voice vanished and rustling could be heard from the tape as the recorder was removed from its location.

"How does it feel, Agent Mulder, to know that her family blames you for this?" Mulder's guilt tripled and he knew the captor was right. He was to overcome with the paralyzing anguish to understand Bill's words. She was alive. After a few moments of silence the tape began to spit more words at the emotionally destroyed man.

"I kept my end of the deal Mr. Mulder. Dana is alive and in a hospital surrounded by her family. Now it's time for you to keep your end of the deal. I told you I would let you go but there are things you must do for me. You have three choices and you will have little time to debate the outcome of your decision. Option 1 is that you help me continue my work. I will let you go once I have in my possession things about a certain someone that would do well to take a crash course in my little lesson on love.

Option 2 is one is rather difficult considering your current predicament. I'm sure you heard the voice of your partner's brother, Bill Scully. From what I was able to understand about the man in what little time I had with him, he is a very rueful and angry man when it comes to the lives of his family. He was leery to give me information until I hit his sore spot. You, agent Mulder. When I mentioned that there were rumors that you did that to her he was sent into a rave of harsh and painful words that I didn't care too much for. As I have told you Mulder, I respect you. In the time that I have had to follow you I have come to realize that you are not deserving of those words. So your second choice is to take revenge and kill her brother. If you chose to I will bring him here to you and let you kill him. However, you will have to live with the self pity of knowing that you killed another member of the Scully family.

That was incorrect. You did not kill Melissa Scully, I know. But you were the reason that she died that night. Had they not come for your partner to murder her for what they did to her, Melissa would still be alive. Am I bringing up another sore subject? I apologize." Mulder wanted to scream with all the air that was in his lungs. He wanted to bottle his anger and allow the adrenaline to shatter the chair into splinters but he was condemned to continue listening.

"Now, of course the first two options do not sound very appealing and I know that you would willingly give your life for her and her family. I also know that you would never put another person, be it stranger or enemy, in danger in a lucid state of mind, so that is where option 3 comes into play. If you refuse to do anything then I will pull strings that I can assure you I have at your lovely partner's hospital. Did you know that more people die from medical errors than car crashes, cancer, or aids?" Mulder's eyes widened when he heard the menacing laughter over the static of the speaker.

"Live or die, it's your choice." The voice concluded. Mulder's struggles became stronger as he mentally willed the ropes to give. Finally, his efforts paid off and the chair began to crack. The bars along the backside came crashing together and he was able to slip the tied rope out from underneath them. Mulder stood quickly and began to pull at the knot bounding his hands behind his back. After a few moments the knot loosened and he was able to slide them off.

Once free he began to storm around his cell throwing pieces of the chair against the wall, cursing and daring his captor to face him now. "Get in here you bastard! You said she would live! You wouldn't hurt her! If you want a confession then fine! I LOVE HER! I LOVE HER!" He screamed with all his heart, tears rapidly falling from his eyes. He stopped and fell to his knees and buried his head in his hands. The silence that filled the room was interrupted again by that voice coming from the lone speaker.

"Very impressive, Mr. Mulder," The quality of the sound was clear, unlike the tape he had just listened to; therefore he concluded that it must have been coming from a microphone attached to the speakers.

"What more do you want from me!" Mulder screamed.

"Why, I think I have made the quite clear, have I not?" he asked.

Mulder was silent.

"Have you made your decision?" the voice asked.

"I can't," He cried.

"Well that is unfortunate for Agent Scully. I'll let you know when I am done." the man snickered.

"NO! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!"

"Then you have made your decision?"

"Yes, I have." Mulder replied barely above a whisper. When he heard a response he was now sure that there were microphones hidden though out the room.

"Good."

The voice was silent for a long moment in anticipation of what he was about to hear. The only sound coming from the room was the cries of a man that was experiencing enough mental torture to make physical pain look like a walk in the park. He thought with a smile on his face that words could not describe his excitement for what he was doing to the broken man in that room. He was even more excited about all the convincing lies that he had told to get him where he was today. Everything had been a lie. Everything.


	13. Chapter 13

Hey, short and sweet this time. I know I always say that but I'm really going to try. Hope ya enjoy this one. Thanks Ruth for the suggestions and ideas!

R&R and let me know what you think!

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

The FBI building was chaotic to say the least. Information was slowly coming in from the hospital that Agent Scully was taken to and police reports claiming that Agent Mulder's whereabouts were still unknown. Kersh made Patterson the lead investigator on the case and everyone was bustling about him trying get their next instructions on the case and more information then was currently present.

Kersh made it a point in the very beginning to stifle the "Spooky" comments during this case however, due to the nature of Agent Scully and Mulder, other agents couldn't help but form their own opinions about what actually happened.

"I heard 'Spooky' found out that Scully was involved with someone else and in a rage of jealousy, bludgeoned her on the head and took off." One agent whispered.

"I heard that the officers at the scene found Scully tied to a chair and her clothes were ruffled and some missing. I think it was just an afternoon freak session gone wrong." Another snickered.

Patterson heard numerous rumors floating about and made a mental note to remember each agent's name. He would later confront them personally after the truth was revealed.

After exhausting all other leads, Patterson requested to speak to David Younce yet again. The second confrontation with Younce after the vehicle accident proved futile. He refused to give any information as to his accomplice, but that was before one agent was in the hospital and another was missing. Patterson had fuel to throw on the fire that would hopefully break him.

He walked into the interrogation room and found Younce sitting at the table with his head in his hands. He looked terrified. Patterson sat crime scene photos of Agent Scully on the table in front of the man and watched his reaction to each carefully.

"What is this?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"This is one of our Agents, I believe you know her." David nodded.

"Your accomplice did this to her. And her partner is missing." Patterson said fiercely.

"I can't tell you anything. He will kill me if I do."

"What do you suppose will happen to you if Agent Mulder turns up dead and you will be our only suspect into these attacks? We already have you DNA on the last package that was sent to Mulder. You were a little careless with that one." Patterson pulled the DNA report from the folder he was carrying and sat it down in front of himself, facing David. "Do you know what this is?" David could only nod. The room was silent for a few moments. Patterson watched the man battling his internal conflict about what to say next.

"The man is crazy! He made me do these things!"

"Who is he?"

"He wouldn't tell me his name; he just referred to himself as 'The Slasher'. He said he loved the name the papers gave him." David looked down at his hands like a scared child being reprimanded by his angry father.

"Tell me about him." Patterson's voice was calm now, almost soothing.

"He just kept talking. Everything he said was contradictory to the previous sentence. He kept talking about himself like he was the king of the world. He spoke of people as simply human beings that inhabited the same planet that he did, and that these beings needed to learn in order to be considered one with him. It was ridiculous. The only thing that made me listen to him was the pictures that he showed me. It terrified me. I knew he was going to kill her."

"Kill who?" He asked.

"My sister, she is the only family I have and that bastard has photos of her with her daughter and husband. He said he was going to kill her if I didn't do what he said. What other choice did I have? I hate that I had to do that to them, Agents Mulder and Scully. They were always very polite people, Agent Scully especially."

"He's been targeting your sister?" Patterson asked dumfoundedly.

"Not anymore since I agreed to help him. His wager was that I deliver letters to Agent Mulder putting him in the same position I was in. I knew they were profiling him. I may just be the mail clerk but I am not oblivious to the goings on here. I figured that you all would have gotten off your asses fast enough by the time the first letter had arrived and catch this guy." His voice was sharp and bitter, his timid personally vanishing with each passing minute.

"What else can you tell me about him? What did he look like?" Patterson pulled a pen from his jacket ready to scribble down the information.

"He was probably 6 foot tall, dark brown hair, no facial hair; he was pretty average looking except for the tattoo on his right arm. It was a headstone of a grave and a dark, ebony shadow looming over it. It was very creepy." David concluded. Patterson finished writing and stood from his chair.

"Someone will be back to take you to the holding area." He walked out the door and over to the men that stood next to the double sided glass that had watched their conversation. Kersh stood next to Dr. John Kinsey, a criminal psychologist. Kinsey shook his head slowly.

"It seems obvious to me that David is genuinely scared for his sister. This man, 'The Slasher' seemed to put a pretty powerful hold over him." Kinsey spoke.

"Based on what Younce is telling us, what do you think we are dealing with?" Kersh boomed.

"Well, he didn't give us much but from what he did say I would suggest that we are dealing with someone that seems to enjoy the power that he has over people. He seemed to suggest a narcissistic individual that finds great importance in himself and a lack of empathy for other around him. One considers this to be a sever impairment in the personality disorder when he begins to show a sever risk of harming himself or in this case others." Kinsey stated professionally.

"So what does this mean?"

"Well he will be proud of what he does and will love the attention the media is giving him. That is why he enjoyed the name that the media gave him. The fear from the papers gave him power, control, and immortality. This may seem unorthodox but I think we should use this to fish him out."

"What?" Patterson quipped.

"Use the papers to create alternate stories about what is going on. Feed the press lies and draw him out into the open." Kinsey watched the two men contemplate this.

"It may be the only choice we have. I want my Agent's back. Someone get on the phone and get me an update on Agent Scully. We need to know when she wakes up! I need her statement!" Kersh shouted as he retreated down the hall. Patterson turned back and looked at Younce.

"Sir, we have a break!" An Agent shouted loudly as everyone on the case gathered around him. Patterson pushed his way through the crowd to Agent Taylor, a young man whose ambition mirrored his exceptional work.

"What is it?" He demanded.

"Well, I was going over the previous Slasher cases and found similarities with each case. At all six crime scenes it was obvious that the body had been dropped there because there was no sign of blood pooling underneath the victim." Taylor announced as he shuffled through papers on his desk and moved about the room.

"We already know that, get to the point!" Patterson was getting impatient.

"Alright, well what we didn't know was the identity of the impression of the tire treads that seemed to be brushed over in some spots, like someone was covering their tracks. Until now we couldn't get a match due to the distortion but I pulled some strings with the lab we got a 95 match that the tire pattern comes from a common tire used on U-haul trucks. I checked with the rental records and nothing seemed to match the timeline, however, there was a truck that was about to be reported stolen today. It was paid to be rented for one month and was due back two days ago. The rental agent gave me a copy of the rental agreement to file the report. We posted an APB on the vehicle and shortly later received the report that it was found abandoned by an old warehouse. A search of it came up empty but in the inside of the truck there were trace amounts of blood that matched the last known victim." He sighed heavily, catching his breath.

"What is the name on the rental agreement?"

"Ronald T. Baker, background check came back clear." Taylor finished and he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"All right, you know what to do!" Patterson said to the crowd standing behind him. "I want everything on this man. I want to know who he is, what he does for a living, his pets names, the last place he used his credit cards, where he likes to shop! If it's related to this man I want to know about it! Get moving!" He shouted and the crowd scattered quickly. Kersh approached Patterson and waived Agent Taylor away from them. "Sir, I don't know that this lead will be solid." Patterson admitted.

"Get on the phone to the new station. Give them a story to run. I don't care what you tell them as long as it is a lie." Kersh instructed as Patterson nodded in agreement. Kinsey was right, at this point it was their only chance.

Across town

The light from the television was the only thing that illuminated the darkened room. The six o'clock news was just beginning with the promise of a break in the Slasher Case. The man sat before his TV, deciding that the emotional torture session could wait for a moment as he watched to see what progress had been made in finding him.

"And now our big story," the perky reported promised. "It has been reported that the man behind the Slasher killings has been arrested. He was picked up after reportedly attacking an FBI Agent and sending her to the hospital. Her condition remains guarded as officials continue the search for the second Agent that was kidnapped and presumed dead." His anger rose as he switched off the TV and threw the remote against the wall.

"No one is going to take this from me! This is my glory!" He screamed as he returned to Mulder's cell.


	14. Chapter 14

I know it has been a while I just had to take a break from it for a month or so. I was having trouble getting this chapter going and I had soooo much stuff going on here that I just didn't have time to write. I'm about to move within the next week or so, so the next chapter probably wont show until I get settled into my new place. Well, as always read and review. I hope you like this one. Thanks Ruth for all the advice! It really helped!

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Patterson waited for confirmation over the phone that the trap would be set. The perky young assistant to the local news station squeaked into his ear that everything was set up and ready to go. He once again reiterated that if anything was to come of the report that they were to call him immediately. She spoke her assurance and hung up the phone before he could protest any longer.

Sighing heavily, he rose from his desk and made his way to the team assigned to locating Ronald Baker. Everything on this man's history had been clean. No outstanding credit card debts, no criminal activity, and no last known address. Agent Taylor jumped up when he saw Patterson enter the busy room.

"Agent Patterson, I have something here you may want to see." Taylor's voice was full of excitement.

"What's up?"

"Well, we found out that the last known address for Baker was a home that was condemned in 1993. After that he stayed in a hotel for 2 weeks in Arlington and then suddenly vanished off the face of the planet." Taylor paused to see the annoyed looked that filled Patterson's eyes.

"Yeah, I know that. Can we get on with it?"

"Right, ok. Well," Taylor shuffled around on his desk for a paper and finally finding the correct one he held it up for Patterson to see. "Baker had one living relative as of February 1998 when his sister died from a gunshot wound to the head. A drive by shooting that was left unsolved. After that her estate was left to Baker and has yet to be sold almost two years later. I ran a check on his sister's credit cards. They are still in use and being billed to that address. Everything is still in her name and being managed quite well. I think he is taking care of more than just her home."

"You think he is there? Where is it?" Patterson's eyes were wild with confusion and determination.

"It's outside of town, in the middle of no where. Take 66 west to state road 15 to Hickory Grove. It's about a two hour drive, easy to make with a man who's been injected with a sedative." Taylor beamed, seeming completely satisfied with himself.

"Alright, send agents out there now. I want a full report as soon as something comes available. Take extreme caution. We want him back alive." Patterson barked and walked down the hall to Kersh's office. He pushed the doors open and poked his head in. "We've got a lead. We're heading out there now." Kersh nodded.

"Call AD Skinner, He just got back from vacation early when he heard what is going on and wants to be a part of this team. I have to stay and manage the situation here." Patterson nodded but his annoyance was evident on his face. He was the Agent in charge of the investigation and with AD Skinner there he would have to report to him. Even though he was considered somewhat of an equal, given the AD's history with the

Agents, he would demand to be in charge. Patterson sighed heavily and made his way to Skinner's office.

Two hours later Patterson and Skinner pulled up just a few houses down from Baker's residence. The car ride over, Patterson was reprimanded for the news cast that had just aired. He was furious that he and Kersh were so willing to put Mulder's life in danger just to catch this man. He was convinced that they were signing Mulder's death certificate right then and there. All Skinner wanted to do was get him back.

Agents had already surrounded the area and there was no sign of movement from inside the house. Skinner's expression was grim, to say the least. He feared the worst for the Agent that worked under him for so many years. Patterson felt like he was walking on thin ice.

"Alright, get them in there and find him." Skinner said and he exited the car and leaned back against it. Waiting was all he could do. Patterson followed suit and pulled the walkie from his belt to give the order to enter the home. The two watched as three men in bullet proof uniforms with guns drawn approached the front door.

Without knocking, one Agent kicked the door with great force and it caved inward, granting them entrance to the home. Skinner moved closer to the home with Patterson hot on his trail. They heard men shouting through the police ban radio. The home was empty. Some of the officers started to exit the home when someone shouted over the radio.

"We've got a body!" Skinner's face paled as he and Patterson ran into the house to identify the body.

Georgetown Hospital

Dana Scully's eyes moved under closed lids. Her mother sat at her bedside holding her hands, her head down in prayer. She didn't notice the motions. Scully's eyes fluttered open and her monitors began to sound wildly as her heart rate increase rapidly. Maggie stood up quickly and watched her daughter's expression change from confusion then to fear.

"Dana?" She asked helplessly.

"Mulder!" Scully screamed. Maggie was terrified. Scully began to try desperately to pull at the IV's and wires that we attached to her small frame. Maggie ran from her daughter's side and out into the hall.

"We need help!" She screamed down the hall. The nurses and doctors that were already on their way into the room to check the monitors began to run towards the room. When they reached her room she was on her feet, wobbling back and forth, shouting for her partner.

"Get an orderly in here now!" One of the doctors shouted. Maggie stood back as tears fell from her eyes at her child's behavior. The orderly rushed into the room shortly after and managed to hold the adrenaline filled women to the bed as the doctor injected her with a sedative and reattached the probes and one of the nurses reconnected her IV's.

As she was quickly drifting off she whispered something over and over again. Curious, Maggie lowered her ear to her daughter's mouth. She gasped when she heard what she was whispering.

"He's dead. Mulder's dead. He's dead…" And then she fell into a sedative induced sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

Hey there! Sry again that it's been a while since my last update. It's been crazy at work. Imagine sitting at a desk taking calls about peoples internet not working and when you ck the queue there at 40 plus calls on hold. Yeah, it's been crazy! Today slowed down a bit so I got to finish what I started! YAY! Oh, and I'm wrapping this up soon :( I don't want to drag it on any longer...This one is lengthy so bare with me and I hope you enjoy! Send me some love! Ayame. (And again thanks Ruth for the feedback:) Glad it's getting better!)

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Agents flooded the home as Skinner and Patterson pushed their way through the sea of bodies. They came to a room where two men lay still on the floor. One man was lying on his stomach, his head turned towards the direction of the Agents. He was no doubt Ronald Baker. The other body was lying close by on his back turned away. Skinner absorbed the scene before him and ran to the other body. It was Mulder.

"Get an ambulance!" Skinner barked, checking for a pulse. He found nothing. Patterson moved to check on Baker. He was dead, his body lying in blood that was pooling from his chest and neck.

Skinner ignored Patterson's words as he told the other agents that the suspect was dead and took in the image of his fallen Agent.

Mulder's body was bruised and cut. There was a dark red stain on the front of his grey shirt indicating a stab wound. His hands were scratched as though he had tried desperately to defend himself and won, taking the knife from his captor and stabbing him once in the chest and swinging it across his neck, cutting his throat.

Skinner dropped to his knees next to the agent and again checked for a pulse. He was having trouble believing that a man that has taken on and defeated so much would be killed by a man like Ronald Baker. His fingers searched for a pumping, however light, he didn't care. His heart stopped and his breath held when he felt a faint tapping against his index and middle finger.

"He's alive! Get that ambulance here now!" Skinner screamed and the other Agents darted from the room. Patterson hunched down next to Skinner to feel for himself. It was there. He was there. The two men looked at each other, silently wondering how long he would last.

"Mulder, Mulder, you hang in there. We're going to get you out of here." Skinner said, hoping to add strength to his failing body. A few minutes later the ambulance arrived and within minutes they hooked IV's and portable monitors to his body, intubated him, and hoisted him into the ambulance. Skinner insisted on joining them.

Once everyone was situated in the back of the rig Skinner over heard the driver radioing the Emergency Room, explaining Mulder's condition.

"This is 478. We've got a 38 year old male stab wound to the lower abdomen, unconscious at the scene, superficial bruising and scratching and a possible dislocation of the right shoulder. BP 70/30, pulse is weak at 52bpm. ETA 15 minutes."

"Copy 478, we will be waiting." came the static response. Skinner watched as the pushed air into Mulder's lungs through the ET tube and saw the rise and fall of his chest each time.

"Sir, what's his name?" One of the EMT's asked. Skinner snapped into professionalism.

"Special Agent Fox Mulder." The two EMT's looked at each other.

"FBI? What the hell happened out there?" One asked and returned to his patient. Skinner ignored the question and watched them work.

Five minutes later the rig jerked to a halt in front of the emergency room. Doctors and nurses pulled the gurney from the rig as the EMT's repeated the information to them that they gave on the way over. Skinner tried to follow into the trauma room but was stopped by a short redheaded nurse that gave him a weak smile.

"He's in good hands Sir, if you could just wait out here for me. Someone will be by to get information from you." Skinner nodded and watched through the window in the door and doctors examined Mulder's injuries.

Skinner pulled out his cell phone and moved to the exit to make some calls. He knew there was nothing he could do for Mulder at this time. Once outside he turned on his phone and was greeted by a ping letting him know that he had a voice message. He pressed the number for his voicemail and listened to the recording.

"It's Kersh, I just got a call from Georgetown Hospital on Agent Scully's condition. She awoke about thirty minutes screaming. They had to sedate her again. What I want to know is I was told she was screaming "Mulder's dead. Why was I not told that we lost an Agent?" He demanded and there was a loud click as the other line disconnected.

Skinner was at a loss as to why Scully believed Mulder to be dead and who would have told her that. He knew, however, that word would have already made it back to Kersh, thanks to Patterson, about Mulder's condition. He turned off his cell phone and walked back inside to the trauma room. As he came up close Skinner heard monitors screaming and one doctor shouted out over the other voices.

"He's coding! Get the crash cart!" Skinner watched in horror as they placed pads on his chest and charged the paddles. "Start low, 150. All right, Clear!" Mulder's body lurched off the table and fell back down as the electricity flowed through him. "200. Clear!" The doctor shouted. This time the monitors began to regain a normal tone.

"Sinus rhythm. Pulse 75 BP 85/60 after one liter." The nurse informed the room.

"All right, he's stable for now," Said the grey haired doctor as he moved to the door where Skinner was watching. "Get me a full pre op panel, abdominal and neuro CT scan and ultrasound. And someone get surgery down here for a consult. He needs to go up ASAP!" The doctor shouted to the others that completed their work up on Mulder.

The doctor let go of the door and it closed behind him. He walked over to Skinner and extended his hand to the man before him. "I'm Dr. Preston, are you with this man?" He asked Skinner.

"Yes, I'm his boss. My name is Assistant Director Walter Skinner. That man is Agent Fox Mulder. How is he?" Skinner asked. The man nodded slowly.

"Well, he's stable now but in critical condition and I don't know for how much longer we can keep his heart beating. He's lost so much blood. I need to get the results of the scan and the ultrasound but I believe the stab wound in his abdomen lacerated his liver and has cause some internal hemorrhaging. Does Mr. Mulder have a next of kin?" The doctor asked, putting to the point of the seriousness of his condition.

"Yes, his partner. However, she is currently in the hospital in Georgetown." The doctor looked surprised.

"Bad case?" He asked simply.

"Slasher case." Skinner replied not wanting to get too much into it.

"I see. Well, is she available to speak with if need be? If something happens we need to know her decision to use our resources to keep Agent Mulder alive." Dr. Preston asked. He was truly concerned that with this man's injuries, the lack of consciousness, and the fact that he has coded once already, he wouldn't make it until he got to surgery.

"I'll see what I can do but from my understanding she was sedated a half hour ago because she received some false information about her partner's health." Dr. Preston's eyes widened momentarily and then nodded in understanding.

"I take it they are close then?"

"Seven years together battling anything we throw at them and whatever he decides to do on his own has brought them close." Skinner explained. He knew the bond between them was something that no one could put words to so he left it with just a simple explanation.

"Well, I need to get back. If you get in touch with her within the next few hours, please let me know. I'm going to see about getting surgery down now to take a look at him and get him up there as quickly as possible. I'll keep you up to date." With that Preston turned and made his way to a phone hanging on the wall. Skinner could hear him asking someone to get down to look at Mulder. He was satisfied with the care he was getting so he decided he needed to try and get in touch with anyone that may be with Scully.

He pressed the number that, thanks to his two best agents was programmed into his phone, for Georgetown Memorial Hospital and asked to be connected with Dana Scully's room. The operator put him on hold and transferred the called.

"Hello." came a tired response.

"This is Assistant Director Walter Skinner. Whom am I speaking with?" he asked the voice.

"Mr. Skinner, This is Maggie, I'm Dana's mother. I believe we have met before." She responded.

"Mrs. Scully, How is she doing?" he asked skipping the pleasantries.

"She's been asleep for almost an hour. They said the sedative they gave her should wear off in the next hour or so. Have you found Fox?"

"We have, I'm at the hospital with him right now." he heard her gasp on the other line.

"Is he ok?"

"He's not doing well. We found him at the scene unconscious and has been since we arrived. He's been stabbed. They are waiting for test results. They are asking for Dana, they need to speak to his next of kin regarding his care."

"Oh, my God. Walter, I have to tell my daughter. Please, tell me what is going on?"

"He was stabbed and they believe the knife hit his liver and has caused some serious internal bleeding. They are waiting on test results and a surgical consult."

"What about the bleeding until then?" Maggie asked.

"I don't know. He's in good hands. I spoke with the doctor that is handling his case. We just need to know what Dana wants. She is listed as his next of kin. She would make the decision if it came down to it."

"I know what she would want. She would want you to do anything to get him out of this, but I understand you need to hear it from her. She is, after all, a doctor. As soon as she wakes up I will have her call you."

"Thank you. I'll get back with you if anything changes." Without waiting for a response he hung up the phone and moved to the waiting room. Before he could sit down Dr. Preston came out to find him.

"We're taking him up now. The ultrasound was enough to confirm my suspicions. They are going to operate right away. You can go up to the waiting room on the fourth floor if you'd like to wait." Skinner nodded and moved to the elevator.

"This is going to be a long day" He thought solemnly as he stepped inside and pressed '4'.

Two hours later

Georgetown Memorial

Scully's eyes fluttered open slowly. Her head hurt and confusion swam around in her mind. Searching the room, she found her mother huddled into a chair, wrapped in a blanket. Scully smiled and tried to set up. She then became aware of the wires and tubes connected to her body.

Maggie awoke quickly when she heard the bed springs creak. She smiled when she saw her daughter was awake and calm.

"Dana, how are you feeling?" she asked rising from the chair and moving over to her daughter.

"Confused. What happened?" Maggie's eyes instantly flashed with fear and sadness. "What happened, mom?"

"Do you remember being in Fox's apartment?" Scully nodded.

"Do you remember how you got here?"

"I remember the man in his apartment, the one that took me from the accident. After that..." Scully gasped when the memory she was searching for returned. "Mulder did this to me." She whispered.

"Dana... Fox wouldn't..." Scully interrupted.

"He did it to save me." Tears began to pool in her eyes.

"Dana, Walter called me about two hours ago. I haven't heard back from him since. I don't want to upset you..." Maggie couldn't look her in the eye.

"Is it Mulder?"

"Do you remember what happened here in the hospital?" Maggie asked, daring to look at her. She shook her head.

"You woke up screaming. When they finally got you under control and gave you something to sleep you began to whisper...'He's dead. Mulder's dead'."

"No." Scully said sternly.

"Dana, what made you say that?" Maggie asked.

"He's not dead! No!" She tried to keep her stoic front but her walls were falling.

"No, he was stabbed. He is bleeding internally. They have him in the operating him now. They need to speak with you, though." Maggie said slowly.

"No." Scully repeated.

"Dana..."

"No, I know what they want. No!" Scully slammed her hand down next to her on the bed.

"Why don't you just lay back. I'll go call Walter." Maggie said.

"I want to talk to him."

"No." It was Maggie's turn to be firm. "I'll get an update; they may not need to speak with you now. I'll be right back." Before Scully could protest she was gone. Once the door was closed, Scully broke down in a fury of tears.

Maggie walked past the nurse's station to a waiting room that held a payphone. She pulled Skinner's number from her purse and dialed it with a shaking hand. His answer came quickly.

"Skinner."

"Walter, its Margaret Scully. Dana is awake. I told her about Mulder. How is he doing?"

"He's still in surgery. I can't get anyone out here to tell me anything. They have stopped asking for his next of kin. They either finally started communicating with each other or this is a good sign. I don't know which." Skinner sighed.

"I told her they wanted to speak with her. She said 'No'. I'm assuming she doesn't want to give up on him but I can't be sure. She still seems confused." Maggie said, her own eyes watering.

Skinner looked up to see a doctor come out and seeking him out of the crowd. "I've got to go, the doctor just came out. I'll call you back." He hung up and moved over to the man.

"Mr. Skinner?" The doctor asked.

"Yes. How is he?"

"We found the bleeding and managed to get it under control. He's lost a lot of blood but we were able to give him as much as he was losing. He had a small tear in this sternum and that was causing excess pressure on his lungs. That was the reason for the lengthy procedure. If he makes it through the night with no further hemorrhaging, I have great confidence that he will pull through this just fine." The doctor smiled at the relief on the Assistant Director's face.

"Thank you."

"When he wakes we are going to move him to a private room."

"Actually, how long before we would be able to move him to another hospital?" Skinner asked. He knew Scully would have it no other way. If she couldn't come to Mulder then maybe he could bring Mulder to her.

"I'm sorry?"

"His partner is hospitalized in Georgetown Memorial. I know she would want to see him as soon as possible." The doctor looked concerned.

"Well, after the procedure he has undergone, I don't know that he will be able to be moved for at least three days, depending on his condition." Skinner nodded.

"Thanks." The doctor nodded and walked away. Skinner pulled out his phone again and pressed redial for Georgetown Memorial and was connected with Scully's room. She answered the phone.

"Hello." He could tell she had been crying.

"Agent Scully," He started but she interrupted.

"Tell me how he is!" she demanded.

"He's out of surgery. They are taking him to recovery. He lost a lot of blood but they believe he will pull through this." Skinner explained simply.

"What happened?"

"Perhaps it would be better if you were out of the hospital before I explained the details..." he trailed off knowing it was useless to try and argue with her.

"Tell me!" He sighed heavily.

"The perp's name was Ronald Baker. He took Mulder from his apartment to his home and after a mistake on the FBI's part he attacked Mulder. Best that we can guess from evidence at the scene, Mulder fought off Baker after he stabbed him in the abdomen and then killed Baker. We are waiting for him to awake to confirm." Scully couldn't speak. She was in utter shock. "Agent Scully…"

"Where are you? I'm coming over there."

"No, you need to recover yourself-" Skinner protested.

"Where are you? I have to see him!" She practically screamed.

"We are two hours away from where Georgetown and you cannot drive that distance with your condition. If I know your mother she will not allow you to leave on your own so just wait and I will call you when he wakes up." Scully started to protest and Skinner stopped her, his stress bleeding over to annoyance. "That's an order Agent!" He boomed and hung up. He instantly felt sorry for the way he had to act but it was for her own good. Now all he had to do was wait and pray that Mulder made it through the night without any further complications.


	16. Chapter 16

Hey guys sorry it has taken so long to get it posted. I've been crazy busy these past few weeks w/ work and trying to get back to school. I hate college advisors! Anyway, this is the next installment. Hope you all enjoy! This one is a bit long! Stay with me. The journey is nearing the end :(

BTW: My other story :Ghost of the Past is a work in progress that I am desperately trying to get more research and wrack my brain to remember the best places in Waverly to mention. Bare with me and thanks for the feedback on that one too:) Here we go...

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Within two hours of speaking with Skinner, Scully had convinced her doctors that she was ready to be discharged. She used all of her medical knowledge to her favor and used it well. Maggie, after much arguing, agree to take her to the hospital Mulder was at. They sat in her room waiting anxiously for the nurse to bring in her discharge paperwork.

"What the hell is taking so long?" She shouted, pacing the small room.

"Honey, please sit down. I don't want you to over exert yourself. You had a major blow to your head and a server panic attack. How you managed to get out today still baffles me." Maggie responded, her eyes glued to her daughter in worry.

"I'm fine, mom. I know I don't need to drive that's why I begged you to take me up there. I admit I'm a little dizzy but it's not something I can't handle. After everything I've been through this is like a nice trip to the woods…" she trailed off remembering the last time she heard those words.

Before her thoughts could travel to the not so pleasant trip to the woods, the door opened and a very annoyed nurse came in with discharge papers in hand.

"Ms. Scully, I have your paperwork. I must say, I would expect you would know the risk you are taking in leaving AMA." The nurse said in a gruff voice.

"I know, can we get on with it?" Scully asked running and hand through her hair and resting it on her hip. Her patience was running thin. There was an uncomfortable silence which the nurse broke with a loud sigh.

"Alright, you just need to sign here saying that you have been told the risks of leaving against medical advice and by the instruction of your doctor." She handed Scully the papers to sign and watched her scribble a quick signature then hand them back. "Sign this saying that the hospital is not responsible for any injuries or relapse in health once you leave." Scully took it and signed it quickly. "And, this is just to recommend that you follow up with your primary care physician or return to an emergency room if you feel dizzy, weak, nauseas, or you get a headache that can't be controlled by normal doses of pain medication…" Scully cut her off.

"Look, I know the routine, can we please hurry up. I need to leave now!" Scully's last bit of patience broke off in her last statement. The nurse looked startled.

"Dana, please calm down. She's just doing her job." Maggie whispered. Scully sighed and listened to the rest of the nurse's speech. She was surprised, however, when the nurse just handed her the remainder of her paperwork and offered a weak smile.

"The doctor tells me you have a long drive ahead of you and that your partner is hurt and you want to get to him. I understand. This will give you some reading material." With that she turned and walked out the door. Scully looked at her mom, wondering how they knew why she needed to be discharged as soon as possible.

"What? So I told your doctor. He had a right to know why a doctor would so willing put herself in harms way to get out of a well respected hospital." Maggie smiled.

"Thanks mom. Let's go." Scully grabbed her bag and moved to the door, determined to do anything to get to Mulder before it was to late.

Two hours later Maggie and Scully pulled into Hickory Grove County Hospital's parking lot. Scully jumped from the car and darted to the entrance of the hospital trying her hardest to brace herself for the sight of her partner's current condition. Maggie called out from behind her to slow down but her pleas went unanswered. She entered the hospital and jogged to the desk.

"Where is Surgical ICU?" Scully asked sharply.

"Fourth floor, what's the name?" Scully ignored her and ran to the elevator. Impatiently she jabbed the arrow for the chamber to take her up. After what seemed like an eternity, the elevator doors opened and she climbed in. Her fist slammed the number four and for a moment time seemed to slow down. The doors closed slowly and she watched her mother slowly turn to the elevator and nod. It was a silent conversation between mother and daughter. 'I'll be up soon.' 'Ok, thank you, Mom.'

The elevator lifted as if it were just floating in zero gravity. She felt heavy and sick, her head spinning and her stomach churning from worry. The Second Floor light illuminated and she could hear her heart beating in her chest. Her mind was churning around different scenarios, trying to think of the worst condition possible so when she did see him she could hopefully be surprised at how good he actually did look.

Third Floor

She remembered all the times that she had seen him in the hospital and all the times that he sat by her bedside when she was dying of cancer. She closed her eyes and watched the memory of him walking into her hospital room when she had just told the FBI that he had killed himself. Her own illness dropped from her mind and he was all she worried about. She had asked him to blame her for the man's death and he refused. He was worried more about her than himself.

Fourth Floor. The doors opened and she silently cursed as people pushed inside not giving her much room to exit. Once free from her metal enclosure her mind emptied of past memories and all she could think of was getting to him now. She headed towards the nurse's station and was greeted by a smile from the chipper nurse behind the counter.

"I'm looking for Fox Mulder. Can you tell me what room he is in?" Scully asked.

"And you are…?" The nurse was skeptical.

"Dana Scully, I'm his par-" she stopped herself. "I'm his next of kin. I need to see him." She whispered the last part as if a silent confession to herself that she may be required to make a very difficult decision in just a few short hours.

"Yes, Dr. Preston was hoping to speak with you. Mr. Mulder is in room 427 down the hall and to the right. I'll let his doctor know you're here." The nurse turned and picked up the phone. Scully let out a small whimper and turned towards his room. She quickened her pace as she neared his room. Once there she peered into the window and looked at her partner. Shock took her breath away and for a moment she thought she was seeing things. She pushed open the door quickly and walked into his room.

"Mulder?" She whispered, almost afraid that if this were a dream it would end. His head turned slowly and his eyes light up ever so slightly.

"Scully…" He whispered, his voice still horse from the tube that was in his throat. "You're… ok." he smiled.

"Yeah, I am. Mulder… what happened… I-" She found herself unable to stop the tears that were falling freely from her face. Mulder moved his arm and she took the invitation to sit down next to him on the bed. "I thought you were dead." She admitted.

"I was…" She jerked her head up and her heart stopped slowly, still not able to believe any of this was real. "Skinner…said I was… for a few minutes… you knew…" He hinted.

"Mulder, this is not the time for your paranormal psychic connections." Scully smiled.

"No, you knew… just like I always… know… if you are… alive." She noticed he was trying with great difficulty to talk. Every other word or so, he would stop and strain his neck as if attempting to clear something that was stuck.

"Mulder, you need to stop talking and rest."

"Only if you…stay with me… I was so… worried about… you… I-" She put her finger on his lips.

"Sh, we can talk later." He nodded and she removed her finger and gently rubbed the side of his face. He turned slowly and kissed the inside of her hand. Chills ran down her spine at the sensation the tiny action had created. The door opened and she pulled her hand away sharply. She looked at the hurt that flashed in his eyes and was replaced by guilt. She smiled weakly at him and turned to greet who ever had entered. It must have been Dr. Preston; he was wearing a white lab coat and had a handful of charts in his arms. He sat them on a table next to the door and smiled.

"You must be Dana." Scully stood to face the man. "I'm Dr. Preston; I've been treating your partner." She nodded.

"Nice to meet you." She extended her hand and he shook it tightly. He turned away from her and walked over to Mulder's bed.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Mulder?" He asked.

"Like I've been….stabbed with…a butter knife." He tried to joke but laughing caused him to cough uncontrollably. Scully walked over to his bed and put her hand on his chest soothingly. When she did she could feel the bandages under the thin hospital gown and regretted her action. It made the situation more real then she was willing to admit. Dr. Preston noticed her behavior and once Mulder finally ceased coughing and he checked on his patient he asked to speak to her alone outside.

"I'll be right back." She whispered to Mulder and turned out of the room. When she looked back before closing the door his eyes were already closed. She smiled and silently shut the door to his room.

"Ms. Scully, I understand that this has been a trying time for you and Mr. Mulder. Mr. Skinner was telling me a little bit about the case. I hope you are feeling well enough to be here." Dr. Preston pushed.

"What are you implying?" She pushed back.

"You've paled significantly since I walked in the room. Are you feeling weak or dizzy?" He asked.

"No, this has nothing to do with me. I just can't believe it. Skinner told me that they may need me to make a decision on his behalf and when I get here and he's awake and talking to people. I'm just in shock I guess." She smiled. "The whole way here I built up every possible scenario in my mind trying to prepare myself for the worst…" She trailed off and wiped a tear from her eye. She saw her mother walk up the hallway and gave her a look that spoke words to only a mother. 'Just a minute mom, please, I need to speak to this man.' 'ok, honey.' She stopped and waited.

"I can't explain his recovery. We expected that the blood loss would leave him in a weakened condition for a while at the very least but he seems almost eager to hurry this along. He's already giving the nurses hell." Scully laughed.

"Yeah, he does that."

"Well, as I said, I can't explain it. Seven hours ago I thought we were going to lose him. We actually did downstairs but we got him back. The surgery was pretty much cut and paste, if you excuse the pun." She smiled at the choice of words and the doctor relaxed a little. He hadn't meant to say that. "They did find a tear in his diaphragm but it was quickly repaired. I just find it hard to believe that with what all he has been through he is as lively as he is. It's…spooky." Dr. Preston concluded. Her smile grew larger at the last word.

"He is spooky." She chuckled. The Dr. was confused but chose to ignore the comment.

"Well, I need to get back. If you have any questions just let the nurse at the desk know and she'll find me. I'll be back in a few hours to check on him." He turned and headed to another room a few doors down and exited her sight. Maggie took that as her cue to approach her daughter.

"How is he?" She asked.

"He's fine, Mom. I don't understand it. He was dying and now he is awake and causing trouble." She chuckled in frustration.

"He's awake? But Walter made his condition seem terrible when I talked to him."

"I know. I'm not going to question it any longer, though." Maggie nodded and Scully turned and walked back into Mulder's room with Maggie in tow. Scully sat in silence for a long moment just watching him sleep. Her mother walked about the room from the window to the door and back. She seemed almost nervous.

"What is it mom?" Scully finally whispered.

"I just- Dana, after you were sick I just can't stand to be in hospitals." Scully was shocked at her mother's confession but understood.

"If you want to go I'm sure I can make arrangements for accommodations here." Scully said. Her mother smiled.

"I bet you could." She laughed softly. "I am going to find a hotel in the area. You have my cell phone number if you need me. I'm to tired to drive back tonight."

"Ok, get some rest. I love you mom. Thank you." Scully stood and embraced her mother.

"Maybe you should come with me and get some rest. You really shouldn't be sleeping here tonight." Maggie persisted.

"I'm used to it, sadly. I'll be ok. I'll call you if I need anything or if anything changes." Maggie nodded and hugged her daughter again and left. Scully turned away from the closing door and sat back down next to her partner. She placed her hand on his and his eyes fluttered open.

"I didn't mean to wake you." She said sheepishly.

"It's ok… I wanted to talk… to you any… way."

"Mulder, you need to rest." Scully protested.

"I want… a chance to say… this before I can't…before I lose my…chance." He was still having difficulty talking and the doctor in her told her that he needed to rest his voice and his body, but a part of her wanted desperately to hear the words he wanted to speak. "I wanted… to tell you what… happened…what I said that I already knew." The last words came out almost perfectly.

"Mulder…" Before she could finish the door opened again. Mulder threw his head back against the pillow and let out a soft growl that turned into a fit of coughing. "Mulder, sh… take it easy. We can talk later." She whispered and when his coughing subsided she turned to the offending intruder whom obviously wasn't employed by the hospital. She was surprised when she saw Skinner standing there. She hadn't had a chance to even think of where he was when she arrived.

"Agent Scully, I thought I gave you an order to stay there until you were released by your doctors." Skinner had a look of annoyance and relief on his face. It was a combination only he could pull off.

"Sir, I was released with the agreements arranged between my doctors and myself. It was a mutual agree-"

"Save it Agent. I knew you'd be down here I was just hoping that you might follow one order that I give."

"Why… start now?" Mulder croaked from behind them.

"How are you feeling Agent Mulder?" He asked sincerely walking past Scully to get a better look at his Agent. "You look better than you did three hours ago."

"Thank you, Sir." Sarcasm was painfully obvious in his cracked voice. "Actually I was…hoping to talk to… Scully alone…" Mulder admitted, taking his chances with Assistant Director Skinner.

"Mulder I think you need to rest. I believe Agent Scully would agree with me." Skinner didn't get his job for being oblivious. He knew about what had happened to him at Baker's home. He left two hours ago to get a preview of the sixteen hours of video tape of Mulder trapped in the small basement. The officers showed him the more emotional aspect of the kidnapping and how Mulder was forced to come to terms with his relationship with Scully. He'd only seen about forty five minutes of the footage but it was enough to shatter him and he could only imagine what Mulder had gone through. "Agent Scully, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to talk to you outside please." Mulder scoffed.

"What… do I smell?" He asked innocently lifting his shirt to his nose. Skinner smirked.

"Sir, I'd rather talk in here with Agent Mulder if it is all the same to you." Scully stood and moved to the other side of Mulder taking a seat next to his bed.

"I have some information about the case that I would rather discuss with Agent Mulder when he is not four hours out of critical surgery and sitting in front of my desk in DC."

"Please, I don't want to talk about this now. Can't it wait until later?" Scully said. All she wanted to do was watch over her partner.

"Go, Scully. I'm… ok." Mulder grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. She looked at him for a moment and saw the longing in his face that she had seen just moments before Dr. Preston arrived. "Go on. I'll… sleep…" She nodded and stood slowly. Before she could let go of his hand he pulled on her arm and her body came closer to his. He lifted his head as far as he could without causing himself more anguish and kissed her lips softly. Then, as quickly as it began, he fell back into his bed, his chest heaving.

Scully was, yet again, in shock. She was still waiting to wake from this dream. Mulder's gasps brought her back to reality and she pulled the oxygen wire back to put up to his nose and advised him to take long, deep, breaths. When he slowed again he fell into a peaceful slumber.

"Agent," Skinner said holding the door open ready to either get help or get usher Scully out. She turned walked out the open door.

"Sir, I want to know why this can't wait until Agent Mulder is in the shape to hear this information himself." Scully demanded.

"Because Dana, Mulder lived the last sixteen hours of his life. He knows what happened. You don't and I think you need to know what Baker did to him before… before you do something that could severely compromise your partnership with him."

"What do you mean?"

"We got the information on Baker and Mulder was correct with the profile and from what the other officers have told me, Baker was a pathological liar. With each victim he made up different stories to get them to play along with his game and in the end killing them even if they decided to go along with it. Mulder was given two choices two times. First was to injure you to keep you safe or watch you die by his knife. You know what he chose there. The second was to kill your brother or join him in his killing spree. You see where I am going with this. Baker played off Mulder's feelings and Mulder was blind to it." Scully moved to a chair in the hallway and sat down.

"Baker did this with each victim, however he under estimated how much Agent Mulder cares for you. There is a section in the tape that the local PD played for me. Agent Scully, you have no idea what happened to him there." Skinner's tone was solemn and his eyes betrayed the serious look he was trying to maintain.

"What is it? I need to know."

"In it, he screams a confession to save your life. Mulder was not cooperating with him and Baker threatened to kill you. Mulder admitted that he was in love with you. I need to know before I the tape has to be reviewed by the FBI, did you know about this?" Scully's eyes started to water.

"Are you implying that we are…together?" she asked.

"Well, yes. I know what I have seen and I know what other Agents at the office have said. I can't let anything like this tear apart my two best Agents, even if their talents are used to investigate the paranormal." Skinner knelt down in front of Scully and put his hand on hers. "I have to know before I am asked the same question. You can trust me. I will do everything I can to keep you together."

"I love him." She whispered, looking down at the red and blue tile floor in the hallway. "I love him but I have never told him. I am always the professional and his remarks were always playful and never intentionally serious or unnerving but a part of me new. I just never said anything. I thought I lost the chance and so did he." Skinner pressed his lips together tightly and rubbed his fore head.

"Well, this won't be the first time I've lied to my superiors to save you two. I'm sure it won't be the last either." Skinner sighed and stood up to leave.

"Sir," Scully's weak voice cried out to the retreating man. He turned to look at her. "I want to see the tape." Skinner sighed, knowing all to well that she would insist on it. He nodded, indicating that she follow him. They left the hospital and headed to the local PD field office.


	17. Chapter 17

Hey guys, Sorry it has been so many months since my last update. You wouldn't even believe what has been going on in my life. But since I am kinda laid up right now awaiting possible knee surgery I'm sure I'll be writing alot more. Anyway, thanks for the urges to keep going! I wanted to get this one out so I didn't do alot of proofing on it. Sorry if there are a few mistakes. I'm sure I'll rework it and replace it later but I wanted to hear what you guys thought first! Send me some love!!!!

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

It was a short drive to the local police office. When they arrived the woman behind the counter gave Skinner a knowing smile and allowed him to proceed to where Scully knew she would see the strongest person in her life break. He turned to her before opening the door to the room that held the evidence that she desperately wanted to see.

"Scully, maybe you should wait on this…" Skinner started, concern filled his eyes as Scully watched the emotions run through them.

"I need to. I need to know what he did to him." Scully whispered, tears glistening in her eyes. Skinner nodded knowing there was no way to pull her back from this. He pushed the door open and as he did the officers in the room turned to the intrusion.

"Can you give Agent Scully some time to review the tapes, please?" Skinner asked professionally. The officers' faces softened at the mention of her name. Scully noticed instantly and wondered what horror she was about to be placed before her. They nodded and stood, walking quickly from the room.

"Scully, I must warn you. What I saw in here I don't care to see again. I'm afraid of how this will affect you." Skinner said sincerely once they were alone in the cold, dark viewing room.

"He's my partner. I need to know. I need to know so I can help him." Scully strained to hold back the unshed tears. Skinner nodded and put the first tape in. Scully sat down and prepared herself for what she was about to see.

It opened with Mulder tied to a chair. He was unconscious, moaning the occasional grunt and groan. Finally the first coherent word escaped from his lips.

"Scully…" Her heart sank. "I'm sorry, Dana. Please forgive me. I'm so sorry." He whispered over and over again, his photographic memory replaying the events fresh in his mind. She watched the scene play out. Baker taunted him, playing on his every weakness, and Mulder asking only of her and how he could get back to her. She watched as Baker left Mulder alone and came back with a recording of her brother cursing Mulder's name. She listened to the terms of his game and watched her partner's reaction to each offer.

Finally she saw him break. She watched him destroy the chair he sat tied to and flail about the room screaming his love for her. He listened to Baker's delight in this revelation and the words that he spoke. Words that Mulder never heard. Words of deception.

She pressed the fast forward button to avoid watching him sit in the corner of the room sobbing and whispering her name. Seeing it once was enough to bring her to tears. She was getting into the seventh hour of the tape when her cell phone sent a shrill through out the quite room. She jumped and sighed at her start and answered the phone quickly.

"Scully."

"Ms. Scully, this is Heather. I'm to nurse attending to your partner."

"Is he alright?" She stood up and headed for the door.

"He awoke and began screaming violently. He kept calling for you and flailing about so we had to put him in restraints so he wouldn't damage his incision. Unfortunately he broke one of them and punched an orderly. We didn't have any choice but to sedate him."

"What the hell were you thinking?" She shouted running out of the room to look for Skinner. "He was just abducted and tied to a chair and tortured. He was reliving it! You don't do that to someone that's been in his situation!" Her heart was pounding for fear for him. "Did he hurt himself?" She demanded.

"I'm so sorry, I just came on duty and his doctor has left for the day. It wasn't noted to us. I'll make sure they know but since he was screaming for you we thought we better call you. No, he didn't hurt himself."

"Fine, I'll be right there. Don't do anything to him until I get there if he wakes up!" She punched the end button on her phone and jammed it deep into her pocket. She finally found Skinner going over notes with another officer.

"Scully, what's going on?" Skinner asked as he saw her running towards him.

"They restrained him while he was reliving the abduction. He had to be sedated. I need to be there when he wakes up. Get me back to that hospital now!" At this point she didn't care who she was yelling at. He jumped up, startled by the tone in her voice and grabbed his coat.

"Alright, let's go." He turned to the officer. "Keep going over the notes. If you find anything call me at once." The man nodded and went back to his reading. The pair walked from the police station and to the awaiting rental car. Scully was silent the whole time.

"We found out some information about Baker." Skinner offered once they were on the road. She turned to him waiting for him to continue. "He used Younce, the mail clerk, for quite a while. Younce refused to give us this information so he will be held for conspiracy to commit but that is just the tip. Baker instructed Younce to take things from your offices when you were not there. He broke into the filing cabinet and pulled out cases on you two. Your abduction, Melissa's death, Mulder's sister, your cancer, he knew everything from those files. He used that to play off Mulder's emotions. He also made Mulder believe that he had been watching you for some time when really, what we can figure, he was only researching you two for about three weeks. I have to talk to Younce when we get back to DC." Skinner concluded.

"How could no one have noticed this?" Scully asked to no one in particular. Those files were painful ones, not something that they looked at on a daily basis. They wouldn't have noticed if those files disappeared. "Did you find them?"

"Yes, they were all at Baker's. He'd typed notes out on his computer as well as pictures that were uploaded of the two of you." Scully felt sick.

"What was his MO?" She felt she really didn't want to know this.

"As you probably heard on the tapes, he made up stories and fed them to Mulder and then retracted them outside of Mulder's presence. I don't know just yet why he was targeting you and since he is dead, I don't know that we ever will but we know that he was basically and narcissistic sociopath that delighted in tormenting what he considered weak individuals. When Mulder broke… well you heard the tape." Skinner didn't feel like repeating the monster.

Scully's mind however replayed that part of the horror. Mulder had just screamed his confession to save her life and Baker could be heard laughing menacingly next to the camera.

'_What a gullible bastard. Such a shame too, I thought he was stronger than this. The others didn't break this easily'_

Scully shook her head to clear the thoughts from her mind. She needed to see him, to see that what she saw on the tape was not the man that she saw earlier in the day. "Get me to him." She whispered. Skinner heard her and sighed and pushed the accelerator down to speed the car along. The only thought running through his head was how they were going to get through this.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Well, what did you think. Please? I'm Begging!!!


	18. Chapter 18

Ok, I know I said that I would be finishing this soon but I keep finding places that I want to go with this. Tell me if this is getting ridiculously long and I just need to end it now. I do enjoy Mulder/Scully Angst though :) Anyway, thanks to those still with me on the story. I greatly appreciate the feedback! Please, keep it coming and let me know what you think about it. I'd like to know where you want me to go with this:)

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

They arrived at the hospital a few short moments later and Scully, not waiting for the car to completely stop, jumped from the vehicle and ran upstairs to Mulder's room. Skinner sighed and took his time getting himself together to go in. She would see to it that he was taken care of so Skinner had no reason to rush to see his agent in turmoil.

Scully ignored the elevator and darted up the stairs and down the hallway that led her to Mulder's room. She knew she really didn't have a need to rush because his sedative, if they called her right after they administered it, still had quite a bit of time to wear off yet. She just wanted to make sure she was there when he woke up.

When she opened his door she let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. He was asleep, the only trace of the incident was ruffled hair and sheets and the restraints still out in plain sight. She watched his features as she moved closer to his bed. He was relaxed and peaceful. She couldn't believe that this was the same man that she watched, horrified, on a tape as he had an emotional break.

She sat down in the chair beside him and settled in for what planned on being a long night. Skinner walked over to the door and looked in. He saw her sitting in the chair, hand reached across to hold his, and her eyes never leaving his face. Deciding against going in he turned to leave stopping only to leave a message with the nurses that he was getting a room for the night and to inform him if anything about his Agent's condition changed.

Three hours later...

Scully had been asleep for close to an hour when Mulder began to come around. His eyes fluttered open and he looked around the room in confusion. His eyes locked onto the face of his sleeping partner next to him and smiled at the feel of her hand clasping his. He squeezed her hand involuntarily and she moaned slightly as her head came up and eyes opened.

"Hey, you're awake." She whispered to him.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you." He said sheepishly. She smiled and squeezed his hand.

"I'm glad you did. How do you feel?" She moved to check his dressings on his incision. When she was satisfied that nothing was damaged she sat back down awaiting his answer.

"A bit confused, actually." He admitted shyly.

"What's the last thing you remember?" She held her doctor composure hard, determined to show strength through his weakness.

"I was dreaming, reliving it actually. I remember being held down, the bastard taunting me through the two sided mirror, telling me that I had to choose between saving you and killing your brother, letting him kill me, or helping him. I remember how real the ropes felt. I could feel it again." He sighed heavily and every wall Scully was struggling to keep up fell down with each tear that slipped down her cheek.

"You were dreaming and combative. They put you in restraints." Scully whispered. He nodded knowingly.

"Well that's a relief." He smiled. She looked at him, eyebrow raised in confusion. "At least I know that is why it felt real. I can deal with the dreams as long as it doesn't happen like that."

"Mulder, you're suffering for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, you need to see a therapist about this. You can't 'live' with the nightmares. You shouldn't have to." She absentmindedly stroked his cheek as she spoke to him. His smile faded at the idea of seeing a therapist. "I know how you feel about therapists-" he pushed her hand away.

"No, I refused to see some doctor that believes he can solve all my problems by laying me down on a couch. I think you could do that." He smiled at his innuendo but her features didn't mirror his. "What?"

"Do you have any idea what this could do to you?" She whispered as her voice breaking as she spoke. "Mulder, please" He sighed heavily.

"I- Scully, I just…" He didn't have a chance to finish his rebuttal as a nurse walked in for her rounds.

"Oh, Mr. Mulder, you're awake." She smiled and walked over to the machines that were connected to his body and made notes on his charts. Once she was done she headed to the door, leaving Mulder and Scully to only watch her movements in awkward silence. She noticed and finally spoke. "I'll let the doctor know you're awake. He'll want to speak to you." She left before they could respond.

"I'm going to call Skinner. He will want to know how you're doing." Scully stood and walked from the room leaving him completely speechless.

Once outside the room she slide down the wall next to his door and broke into an uncontrollable sob. She knew what another traumatic experience would do to him, adding more nightmares to what he already had. She could already hear the screams through a paper thin hotel wall as he thrashed in his bed, screaming for her or Samantha, asking his dad or Baker to leave him alone.

A few minutes into her emotional trail Mulder's doctor walked up to her.

"Dr. Scully? Is everything ok?" He was instantly worried about is patients condition and made a move to enter his room.

"He's fine, physically." She stated quickly. Dr. Preston stopped and stooped down to her level.

"You're worried about his emotional state?" He asked.

"Yes, he refuses to speak to a therapist. He hates the idea because he believes, after a many involuntary trips due to past experiences, cases, and yearly check ups, that they are completely useless. He suffers from night terrors almost every night. His sister was abducted right in front of him when he was only twelve and he lived within an abusive household for many years after that. His father blamed him for the… abduction." She chose her words carefully for fear of putting them both in the nuthouse. "He beat him in drunken rages, his mother was physically present but not emotionally and he deals with the pain in his sleep, reliving the pain each night. Now he has this to add to it." Scully sighed, breathlessly.

"So he confides in you?" Dr. Preston asked, his curiosity peaked.

"No, I had to find most of this out through internal investigation and then having to listen to his screams in the night through hotel walls. I can't let him add this to his list of scars but the refuses to seek help." Scully rubbed her hands over his face to wipe away the tears that had fallen as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Well, I know that we can not force him to seek professional psychological help with what he had been through and, yes, he is suffering from PTSD so he will have nightmares and difficulty in certain situations that will cause him to relive what he has been through. I think that is apparent from his outburst earlier, and I do apologize about that. I have reprimanded the staff for their actions. But, this is something that we need to take one day at a time. In the short time I have had to spend with him I know his is an incredibly strong person with the will to live, it seems, for you. If you don't mind me being bold. Give him time and help him through this. It may turn out that you might be the key to helping him get over this. Not a therapist." She moved her eyes to his with a look of shock. "At least not right away."

"What should I do?" She asked completely helpless.

"Let him heal. That is the only thing we can do at this point. And until he is out of here he is my responsibility. Once he is able to go home, then we will talk about his after care procedures." She nodded, smiling weakly wishing she could believe his words. Even though he was here and under Dr. Preston's care, she would still feel responsible for everything that has happened to him. If not for her he would not be in this situation now. "I need to check on him. Go and get some coffee and rest in a real bed. I'll let you know if we need anything." He didn't wait for a response, rose and walked into the hospital room. Scully stood slowly and looked through the window and watched Dr. Preston talk to her partner.

Mulder's eyes wondered and caught hers and she felt ill. She could not look at him without feeling an uncontrollable feeling of guilt. She needed to get out of there. She needed to talk to someone. The only person she could think of was Assistant Director Walter Skinner. Her cell phone was out before she reached the end of the hall.

"Skinner."

"Sir, I need to speak with you." Scully spoke with a sorrow tinted voice.

"I'm at the Motel 6 on Burton Rd. Room 514. Come on over." The line went dead as Scully ran downstairs to arrange transportation.


End file.
